Skip to main content Skip to footer
HomeHome
 
  • Accueil
  • Recherche de brevets

    Connaissances des brevets

    Accéder à nos bases de données brevets et à nos outils de recherche.

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Informations techniques
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Espacenet - recherche de brevets
      • Serveur de publication européen
      • Recherche EP en texte intégral
    • Informations juridiques
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Registre européen des brevets
      • Bulletin européen des brevets
      • Plan du site de l'Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
      • Observations de tiers
    • Informations commerciales
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
      • Rapports d’analyse sur les technologies
    • Données
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Données liées ouvertes EP
      • Jeux de données de masse
      • Services Internet
      • Couverture, codes et statistiques
    • Plateformes technologiques
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Le plastique en pleine mutation
      • Innovation autour de l'eau
      • Innovation spatiale
      • Des technologies pour lutter contre le cancer
      • Technologies de lutte contre les incendies
      • Technologies énergétiques propres
      • Lutte contre le coronavirus
    • Ressources utiles
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Il s'agit de votre première visite ? Qu'est-ce que l'information brevets ?
      • Information brevets de l'Asie
      • Centres d'information brevets (PATLIB)
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Commerce et statistiques
      • Informations relatives au brevet unitaire pour la connaissance des brevets
    Image
    Plastics in Transition

    Rapport d’analyse sur les technologies de gestion des déchets plastiques

  • Demander un brevet

    Demander un brevet

    Informations pratiques concernant les procédures de dépôt et de délivrance.

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Voie européenne
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Guide du brevet européen
      • Oppositions
      • Procédure orale
      • Recours
      • Brevet unitaire et juridiction unifiée du brevet
      • Validation nationale
      • Requête en extension/validation
    • Voie internationale (PCT)
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Guide euro-PCT : procédure PCT devant l'OEB
      • Décisions et communiqués
      • Dispositions et ressources PCT
      • Requête en extension/validation
      • Programme de partenariat renforcé
      • Traitement accéléré des demandes PCT
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
      • Formations et manifestations
    • Demandes nationales
    • Trouver un mandataire agréé
    • Services MyEPO
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Comprendre nos services
      • Accéder aux services
      • Effectuer un dépôt
      • Intervenir sur un dossier
      • Disponibilité de services en ligne
    • Formulaires
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Requête en examen
    • Taxes
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Taxes européennes (CBE)
      • Taxes internationales (PCT)
      • Taxes du brevet unitaire
      • Paiements des taxes et remboursements
      • Avertissement

    up

    Découvrez comment le brevet unitaire peut améliorer votre stratégie de PI

  • Informations juridiques

    Informations juridiques

    Droit européen des brevets, Journal officiel et autres textes juridiques.

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Textes juridiques
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Convention sur le brevet européen
      • Journal officiel
      • Directives
      • Système d'extension/de validation
      • Accord de Londres
      • Droit national relatif à la CBE
      • Unitary patent system
      • Mesures nationales relatives au brevet unitaire
    • Pratiques juridictionnelles
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Colloque des juges européens de brevets
    • Consultations d'utilisateurs
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Consultations en cours
      • Consultations fermées
    • Harmonisation matérielle du droit des brevets
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Groupe B+
    • Convergence des pratiques
    • Options pour les mandataires agréés
    Image
    Law and practice scales 720x237

    Restez à jour des aspects clés de décisions choisies grâce à notre publication mensuelle "Abstracts of decisions”

  • Actualités et événements

    Actualités et événements

    Nos dernières actualités, podcasts et événements.

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

     

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Actualités
    • Événements
    • Prix de l'inventeur européen
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • À propos du prix
      • Catégories et prix
      • Rencontrez les finalistes
      • Proposer un inventeur
      • European Inventor Network
      • La cérémonie 2024
    • Young Inventors Prize
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • À propos du prix
      • Appel à candidatures
      • Le jury
      • Le monde, réinventé
      • La cérémonie 2025
    • Centre de presse
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Patent Index et statistiques
      • Recherche dans le centre de presse
      • Rappel des faits
      • Droits d'auteur
      • Contact presse
      • Demande de rappel
      • Service d'alerte par courriel
    • Coup de projecteur sur l'innovation et la protection par brevets
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Water-related technologies
      • CodeFest
      • Green tech in focus
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Brevets et société
      • Technologies spatiales et satellitaires
      • L'avenir de la médecine
      • Science des matériaux
      • Communications mobiles
      • Brevets dans le domaine des biotechnologies
      • Patent classification
      • Technologies numériques
      • La fabrication de demain
      • Books by EPO experts
    • Podcast "Talk innovation"

    podcast

    De l’idée à l’invention : notre podcast vous présente les actualités en matière de technologies et de PI

  • Formation

    Formation

    L'Académie européenne des brevets – point d'accès pour vos formations

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Activités de formation et parcours d'apprentissage
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Activités de formation
      • Parcours d’apprentissage
    • EEQ et CEAB
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • EEQ – Examen européen de qualification
      • CEAB – Certificat européen d’administration des brevets
      • CSP – Programme de soutien aux candidats
    • Ressources par centre d'intérêt
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Délivrance des brevets
      • Transfert et diffusion de technologies
      • Application des droits de brevet et contentieux en matière de brevets
    • Ressources de formation par profil
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Entreprise et responsables PI
      • Candidats à l'EEQ et CEAB
      • Juges, juristes et parquets
      • Bureaux nationaux et autorités de PI
      • Conseils en brevets et assistants juridiques
      • Universités, centres de recherche et centre de transfert de technologie
    Image
    Patent Academy catalogue

    Un vaste éventail d’opportunités de formation dans le catalogue de l’Académie européenne des brevets

  • Découvrez-nous

    Découvrez-nous

    En savoir plus sur notre travail, nos valeurs, notre histoire et notre vision.

    Consulter la vue d'ensemble 

    • Vue d'ensemble
    • L'OEB en bref
    • Les 50 ans de la Convention sur le brevet européen
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Official celebrations
      • Member states’ video statements
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Concours d’art collaboratif pour enfants
    • Fondements juridiques et États membres
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Fondements juridiques
      • États membres de l'Organisation européenne des brevets
      • Etats autorisant l’extension
      • Etats autorisant la validation
    • Conseil d'administration et organes auxiliaires
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Communiqués
      • Calendrier
      • Documentation
      • Le Conseil d'administration de l'Organisation européenne des brevets
    • Principes et stratégie
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Mission, vision et valeurs
      • Plan stratégique 2028
      • Vers une nouvelle normalité
    • Présidence et Comité de direction
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Président António Campinos
      • Comité consultatif de direction
    • Sustainability at the EPO
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Environmental
      • Social
      • Governance and Financial sustainability
    • Services et activités
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Nos services et notre structure
      • Qualité
      • Consultation de nos utilisateurs
      • Coopération européenne et internationale
      • Académie européenne des brevets
      • Économiste en chef
      • Bureau de médiation
      • Signaler des actes répréhensibles
    • Observatoire des brevets et des technologies
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Technologies
      • Acteurs de l'innovation
      • Politique et financement
      • Outils
      • À propos de l'Observatoire
    • Achats
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Plan d’achats prévisionnel
      • La passation de marchés avec l'OEB
      • Procédures d'achat
      • Politique d'achat durable
      • Comment s‘enregistrer pour appels à la concurrence électroniques et signatures électroniques
      • Portail des achats
      • Facturation
      • Conditions générales
      • Appels à la concurrence archivés
    • Portail de transparence
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Généralités
      • Capital humain
      • Capital environnemental
      • Capital organisationnel
      • Capital social et relationnel
      • Capital économique
      • Gouvernance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • Historique de l'OEB
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Années 1970
      • Années 1980
      • Années 1990
      • Années 2000
      • Années 2010
      • Années 2020
    • La collection d'art de l'OEB
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • La collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artistes
      • Médiathèque
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Espace Culture A&T 5-10
      • "Longue nuit"
    Image
    Patent Index 2024 keyvisual showing brightly lit up data chip, tinted in purple, bright blue

    Suivez les dernières tendances technologiques grâce à notre Patent Index

 
Website
cancel
en de fr
  • Language selection
  • English
  • Deutsch
  • Français
Main navigation
  • Homepage
    • Go back
    • Êtes-vous novice en matière de brevets ?
  • Êtes-vous novice en matière de brevets ?
    • Go back
    • Votre entreprise et les brevets
    • Pourquoi les brevets existent-ils ?
    • Quelle est votre grande idée ?
    • Êtes-vous prêts ?
    • Ce qui vous attend
    • Comment déposer une demande de brevet
    • Mon idée est-elle brevetable?
    • Êtes-vous le premier ?
    • Quiz sur les brevets
    • Vidéo sur le brevet unitaire
  • Recherche de brevets
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Informations techniques
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Espacenet - recherche de brevets
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Bases de données des offices nationaux et régionaux
        • Global Patent Index (GPI)
        • Notes de version
      • Serveur de publication européen
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Notes de version
        • Tableau de correspondance pour les demandes Euro-PCT
        • Fichier d’autorité EP
        • Aide
      • Recherche EP en texte intégral
    • Informations juridiques
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Registre européen des brevets
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Notes de version archive
        • Documentation sur le Registre
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Couverture de données pour lien profonds
          • Registre fédéré
          • Événements du Registre
      • Bulletin européen des brevets
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Télécharger les fichiers du Bulletin
        • Recherche dans le Bulletin EP
        • Help
      • Plan du site de l'Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
      • Observations de tiers
    • Informations commerciales
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
        • Go back
        • Notes de version
      • Rapports d’analyse sur les technologies
    • Données
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Données liées ouvertes EP
      • Jeux de données de masse
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Manuals
        • Listages de séquences
        • Données nationales en texte intégral
        • Données du Registre européen des brevets
        • Données bibliographiques mondiale de l'OEB (DOCDB)
        • Données EP en texte intégral
        • Données mondiales de l'OEB relatives aux événements juridiques (INPADOC)
        • Données bibliographiques EP (EBD)
        • Décisions des chambres de recours de l'OEB
      • Services Internet
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Services brevets ouverts (OPS)
        • Serveur de publication européen (service web)
      • Couverture, codes et statistiques
        • Go back
        • Mises à jour hebdomadaires
        • Mises à jour régulières
    • Plateformes technologiques
      • Go back
      • Le plastique en pleine mutation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Récupération des déchets plastiques
        • Recyclage des déchets plastiques
        • Matières plastiques de substitution
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • L'innovation dans les technologies de l'eau
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Eau salubre
        • Protection contre l'eau
      • Innovation spatiale
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Astronautique
        • Observation spatiale
      • Des technologies pour lutter contre le cancer
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Prévention et détection précoce
        • Diagnostics
        • Thérapies
        • Bien-être et suivi
      • Technologies de lutte contre les incendies
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Détection et prévention des incendies
        • Extinction des incendies
        • Matériel de protection
        • Technologies de restauration après incendie
      • Technologies énergétiques propres
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Énergies renouvelables
        • Industries à fortes émissions de carbone
        • Stockage de l’énergie et autres technologies complémentaires
      • Lutte contre le coronavirus
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Vaccins et thérapies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Vaccins
          • Aperçu des traitements candidats contre la Covid-19
          • Antiviral et traitement symptomatique candidats
          • Acides nucléiques et anticorps de lutte contre le coronavirus
        • Diagnostics et analyses
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Diagnostics - essais basés sur une protéine ou un acide nucléique
          • Protocoles analytiques
        • Informatique
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Bioinformatique
          • Informatique médicale
        • Les technologies de la nouvelle normalité
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Appareils, matériel et équipements
          • Procédures, actions et activités
          • Technologies numériques
        • Les inventeurs en lutte contre le coronavirus
    • Ressources utiles
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Il s'agit de votre première visite ? Qu'est-ce que l'information brevets ?
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Définitions de base
        • Classification des brevets
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Classification coopérative des brevets (CPC)
        • Familles de brevets
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Famille de brevets simple DOCDB
          • Famille de brevets élargie INPADOC
        • À propos des événements juridiques
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Système de classification INPADOC
      • Information brevets de l'Asie
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • China (CN)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Taipei Chinois (TW)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Inde (IN)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
        • Japon (JP)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Corée (KR)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Fédération de Russie (RU)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Facts and figures
          • Numbering system
          • Searching in databases
        • Useful links
      • Centres d'information brevets (PATLIB)
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Commerce et statistiques
      • Informations relatives au brevet unitaire pour la connaissance des brevets
  • Demander un brevet
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Voie européenne
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Guide du brevet européen
      • Oppositions
      • Procédure orale
        • Go back
        • Calendrier des procédures orales
          • Go back
          • Accès du public à la procédure de recours
          • Accès du public à la procédure d’opposition
          • Calendrier des procédures orales
          • Directives techniques
      • Recours
      • Brevet unitaire et juridiction unifiée du brevet
        • Go back
        • Brevet unitaire
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Cadre juridique
          • Principales caractéristiques
          • Comment obtenir un brevet unitaire
          • Coût d'un brevet unitaire
          • Traduction et compensation
          • Date de début
          • Introductory brochures
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Juridiction unifiée du brevet
      • National validation
      • Requête en extension/validation
    • Demandes internationales
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Guide euro-PCT
      • Entrée dans la phase européenne
      • Décisions et communiqués
      • Dispositions et ressources PCT
      • Requête en extension/validation
      • Programme de partenariat renforcé
      • Traitement accéléré des demandes PCT
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
        • Go back
        • Programme Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) – Présentation
      • Formations et manifestations
    • Voie nationale
    • Services MyEPO
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Comprendre nos services
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Exchange data with us using an API
          • Go back
          • Notes de version
      • Accéder aux services
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Notes de version
      • Effectuer un dépôt
        • Go back
        • Effectuer un dépôt
        • Que faire si nos services de dépôt en ligne sont indisponibles ?
        • Notes de version
      • Intervenir sur un dossier
        • Go back
        • Notes de version
      • Disponibilité de services en ligne
    • Taxes
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Taxes européennes (CBE)
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Décisions et communiqués
      • Taxes internationales (PCT)
        • Go back
        • Réduction des taxes
        • Taxes pour les demandes internationales
        • Décisions et communiqués
        • Vue d'ensemble
      • Taxes du brevet unitaire
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Décisions et avis
      • Paiements des taxes et remboursements
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Modes de paiement
        • Premiers pas
        • FAQs et autre documentation
        • Informations techniques concernant les paiements groupés
        • Décisions et communiqués
        • Notes de version
      • Avertissement
    • Formulaires
      • Go back
      • Requête en examen
      • Vue d'ensemble
    • Trouver un mandataire agréé
  • Informations juridiques
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Textes juridiques
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Convention sur le brevet européen
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Archive
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Documentation sur la révision de la CBE en 2000
            • Go back
            • Vue d'ensemble
            • Conférence diplomatique pour la révision de la CBE
            • Travaux préparatoires
            • Nouveau texte
            • Dispositions transitoires
            • Règlement d'exécution de la CBE 2000
            • Règlement relatif aux taxes
            • Ratifications et adhésions
          • Travaux Préparatoires CBE 1973
      • Journal officiel
      • Directives
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Directives CBE
        • Directives PCT de l'OEB
        • Directives relatives au brevet unitaire
        • Cycle de révision des directives
        • Consultation results
        • Résumé des contributions des utilisateurs
        • Archive
      • Système d'extension/de validation
      • Accord de Londres
      • Droit national relatif à la CBE
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Archive
      • Système du brevet unitaire
        • Go back
        • Travaux préparatoires to UP and UPC
      • Mesures nationales relatives au brevet unitaire
    • Pratiques juridictionnelles
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Colloque des juges européens de brevets
    • Consultations d'utilisateurs
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Consultations en cours
      • Consultations fermées
    • Harmonisation matérielle du droit des brevets
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Groupe B+
    • Convergence des pratiques
    • Options pour les mandataires agréés
  • Actualités et événements
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Actualités
    • Événements
    • Prix de l'inventeur européen
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • À propos du prix
      • Catégories et prix
      • Découvrir les inventeurs
      • Proposer un inventeur
      • European Inventor Network
        • Go back
        • 2024 activities
        • 2025 activities
        • Rules and criteria
        • FAQ
      • La cérémonie 2024
    • Young Inventors Prize
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • À propos du prix
      • Appel à candidatures
      • Le jury
      • The world, reimagined
      • La cérémonie 2025
    • Centre de presse
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Patent Index et statistiques
      • Recherche dans le centre de presse
      • Rappel des faits
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • L'Office européen des brevets
        • Questions/réponses sur les brevets en lien avec le coronavirus
        • Questions/réponses sur les brevets portant sur des végétaux
      • Droits d'auteur
      • Contact presse
      • Formulaire - Demande de rappel
      • Service d'alerte par courriel
    • Coup de projecteur
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Technologies liées à l'eau
      • CodeFest
        • Go back
        • CodeFest Spring 2025 on classifying patent data for sustainable development
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • CodeFest 2024 sur l'IA générative
        • CodeFest 2023 sur les plastiques verts
      • Green tech in focus
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • About green tech
        • Renewable energies
        • Energy transition technologies
        • Building a greener future
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Brevets et société
      • Technologies spatiales et satellitaires
        • Go back
        • Brevets et technologies spatiales
        • Vue d'ensemble
      • L'avenir de la médecine
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Technologies médicales et cancer
        • Personalised medicine
      • Science des matériaux
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Nanotechnologie
      • Communications mobiles
      • Biotechnologie
        • Go back
        • Biotechnologies rouges, blanches ou vertes
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Rôle de l’OEB
        • Inventions brevetables
        • Les inventeurs dans le domaine des biotechnologies
      • Classification
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Nanotechnology
        • Climate change mitigation technologies
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • External partners
          • Updates on Y02 and Y04S
      • Technologies numériques
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • A propos des TIC
        • Matériel et logiciel
        • Intelligence artificielle
        • Quatrième révolution industrielle
      • Fabrication additive
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • À propos de la FA
        • Innover avec la FA
      • Books by EPO experts
    • Podcast
  • Formation
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Activités de formation et parcours d'apprentissage
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Activités de formation : types et formats
      • Parcours d’apprentissage
    • EEQ et CEAB
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • EEQ – Examen européen de qualification
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Compendium
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Épreuve F
          • Épreuve A
          • Épreuve B
          • Épreuve C
          • Épreuve D
          • Examen préliminaire
        • Candidats reçus
        • Archives
      • CEAB – Certificat européen d’administration des brevets
      • CSP – Programme de soutien aux candidats
    • Ressources de formation par centre d'intérêt
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Délivrance des brevets
      • Transfert et diffusion de technologies
      • Application des droits de brevet et contentieux en matière de brevets
    • Ressources de formation par profil
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Enterprises et responsables IP
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Innovation case studies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • SME case studies
          • Technology transfer case studies
          • Études de cas : technologies à forte croissance
        • Inventor's handbook
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Introduction
          • Disclosure and confidentiality
          • Novelty and prior art
          • Competition and market potential
          • Assessing the risk ahead
          • Proving the invention
          • Protecting your idea
          • Building a team and seeking funding
          • Business planning
          • Finding and approaching companies
          • Dealing with companies
        • Best of search matters
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Tools and databases
          • EPO procedures and initiatives
          • Search strategies
          • Challenges and specific topics
        • Support for high-growth technology businesses
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Business decision-makers
          • IP professionals
          • Stakeholders of the Innovation Ecosystem
      • Candidats à l'EEQ et CEAB
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Casse-têtes sur l'épreuve F
        • Questions D quotidiennes
        • Examen européen de qualification - Guide de préparation
        • CEAB
      • Juges, juristes et parquets
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Compulsory licensing in Europe
        • Compétences des juridictions européennes pour les litiges en matière de brevets
      • Offices nationaux et administrations de la PI
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Parcours d'apprentissage pour les examinateurs de brevets des offices nationaux
        • Parcours d'apprentissage pour agents des formalités et assistants juridiques
      • Conseils en brevets et assistants juridiques
      • Universités, centres de recherche et Offices de Transfert Technologique
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Cadre modulaire d'enseignement de la propriété intellectuelle (MIPEF)
        • Programme de stages professionnels "Pan-European Seal"
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Pour les étudiants
          • Pour les universités
            • Go back
            • Vue d'ensemble
            • Ressources éducatives sur la propriété intellectuelle
            • Adhésion universitaire
          • Nos jeunes professionnel(le)s
          • Programme de développement professionnel
        • Programme de recherche académique (ARP)
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Projets de recherche finalisés
          • Projets de recherche en cours
        • Kit d'enseignement sur la PI
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Télécharger des modules
        • Manuel de conception de cours sur la propriété intellectuelle
        • PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa
          • Go back
          • Activités fondamentales
          • Parcours inspirants et témoignages
  • Découvrez-nous
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • L'OEB en bref
    • Les 50 ans de la CBE
      • Go back
      • Official celebrations
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Member states’ video statements
        • Go back
        • Albania
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Cyprus
        • Czech Republic
        • Denmark
        • Estonia
        • Finland
        • France
        • Germany
        • Greece
        • Hungary
        • Iceland
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Latvia
        • Liechtenstein
        • Lithuania
        • Luxembourg
        • Malta
        • Monaco
        • Montenegro
        • Netherlands
        • North Macedonia
        • Norway
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Romania
        • San Marino
        • Serbia
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Spain
        • Sweden
        • Switzerland
        • Türkiye
        • United Kingdom
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Concours d’art collaboratif pour enfants
    • Fondements juridiques et États membres
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Fondements juridiques
      • Etats membres
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Etats membres selon la date d'adhésion
      • Etats autorisant l’extension
      • Etats autorisant la validation
    • Conseil d'administration et organes auxiliaires
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Communiqués
        • Go back
        • 2024
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
      • Calendrier
      • Documentation
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Documents du Comité restreint
      • Conseil d'administration
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Composition
        • Représentants
        • Règlement intérieur
        • Collège des commissaires aux comptes
        • Secrétariat
        • Organes
    • Principes et stratégie
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Mission, vision et valeurs
      • Plan stratégique 2028
        • Go back
        • Levier 1 : Les personnes
        • Levier 2 : Les technologies
        • Levier 3 : Des produits et services de grande qualité
        • Levier 4 : Les partenariats
        • Levier 5 : La pérennité financière
      • Vers une nouvelle normalité
      • Protection des données et confidentialité
    • Présidence et Comité de direction
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • A propos du Président
      • Comité consultatif de direction
    • La pérennité à l'OEB
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Pérennité environnementale
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inventions environnementales inspirantes
      • Pérennité sociale
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inventions sociales inspirantes
      • Gouvernance et pérennité financière
    • Achats
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Plan d’achats prévisionnel
      • La passation de marchés avec l'OEB
      • Procédures d'achat
      • Publications du système d'acquisition dynamique
      • Politique d'achat durable
      • Sur appels à la concurrence électroniques
      • Facturation
      • Portail des achats
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Signature électronique des contrats
      • Conditions générales
      • Appels à la concurrence archivés
    • Services et activités
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Nos services et notre structure
      • Qualité
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Fondements
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • La Convention sur le brevet européen
          • Directives relatives à l'examen
          • Notre personnel
        • Comment stimuler la qualité
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • État de la technique
          • Système de classification
          • Outils
          • Des procédés gages de qualité
        • Produits et services
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Recherches
          • Examens
          • Oppositions
          • Amélioration continue
        • La qualité grâce au travail en réseau
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Engagement des utilisateurs
          • Coopération
          • Enquêtes visant à évaluer le degré de satisfaction
          • Groupes de parties prenantes sur l'assurance de la qualité
        • Charte sur la qualité des brevets
        • Plan d'action pour la qualité
        • Quality dashboard
        • Statistiques
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Recherche
          • Examen
          • Opposition
        • Gestion intégrée à l'OEB
      • Consultation de nos utilisateurs
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Comité consultatif permanent auprès de l'OEB
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Objectifs
          • Le SACEPO et ses groupes de travail
          • Réunions
          • Espace délégués
        • Enquêtes
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Méthodologie détaillée
          • Services de recherche
          • Services d'examen, actions finales et publication
          • Services d'opposition
          • Services de Formalités
          • Service clientèle
          • Services de dépôt
          • Gestion des grands comptes
          • Site web de l'OEB
          • Archives
      • Notre charte du service clientèle
      • Coopération européenne et internationale
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Coopération avec les Etats membres
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
        • Coopération bilatérale avec les États non membres
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Le système de validation
          • Programme de partenariat renforcé
        • Organisations internationales, coopération tripartite et IP5
        • Coopération avec les organisations internationales en dehors du système de PI
      • Académie européenne des brevets
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Partenaires
      • Économiste en chef
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Études économiques
      • Bureau de l'Ombud
      • Signaler des actes répréhensibles
    • Observatoire des brevets et des technologies
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Technologies
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Innovation contre le cancer
        • Robotique d'assistance
        • Technologies spatiales
      • Acteurs de l'innovation
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Start-ups et PME
          • Go back
          • Publications
          • Vue d'ensemble
        • Les universités de recherche et les organismes publics de recherche
      • Politique et financement
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Programme de financement de l'innovation
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Nos études sur le financement de l'innovation
          • Initiatives de l'OEB pour les demandeurs de brevet
          • Soutien financier pour les innovateurs en Europe
        • Brevets et normes
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Publications
          • Patent standards explorer
      • Outils
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Deep Tech Finder
      • À propos de l'Observatoire
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Programme de travail
    • Transparency portal
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Généralités
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Bilan annuel 2024
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Résumé
          • Levier 1 – Les personnes
          • Levier 2 – Les technologies
          • Levier 3 – Des produits et des services de grande qualité délivrés dans les délais
          • Levier 4 – Les partenariats
          • Levier 5 – La pérennité financière
        • Annual Review 2023
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • 50 years of the EPC
          • Strategic key performance indicators
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
        • Annual Review 2022
          • Go back
          • Vue d'ensemble
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
      • Capital humain
      • Capital environnemental
      • Capital organisationnel
      • Capital social et relationnel
      • Capital économique
      • Gouvernance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
        • Go back
        • Insight into computer technology and AI
        • Insight into clean energy technologies
        • Statistics and indicators
          • Go back
          • European patent applications
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Top 10 technical fields
              • Go back
              • Computer technology
              • Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
              • Digital communication
              • Medical technology
              • Transport
              • Measurement
              • Biotechnology
              • Pharmaceuticals
              • Other special machines
              • Organic fine chemistry
            • All technical fields
          • Applicants
            • Go back
            • Top 50
            • Categories
            • Women inventors
          • Granted patents
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Designations
      • Data to download
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • Historique
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Collection d'art
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • La collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artistes
      • Médiathèque
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Espace Culture A&T 5-10
        • Go back
        • Catalyst lab & Deep vision
          • Go back
          • Irene Sauter (DE)
          • AVPD (DK)
          • Jan Robert Leegte (NL)
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #1
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #2
          • Péter Szalay (HU)
          • Thomas Feuerstein (AT)
          • Tom Burr (US)
          • Wolfgang Tillmans (DE)
          • TerraPort
          • Unfinished Sculpture - Captives #1
          • Deep vision – immersive exhibition
          • Expositions précédentes
        • The European Patent Journey
        • Sustaining life. Art in the climate emergency
        • Next generation statements
        • Open storage
        • Cosmic bar
      • "Longue nuit"
  • Chambres de recours
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Décisions des chambres de recours
      • Go back
      • Décisions récentes
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Sélection de décisions
    • Communications des chambres de recours
    • Procédure
    • Procédures orales
    • À propos des chambres de recours
      • Go back
      • Vue d’ensemble
      • Président des chambres de recours
      • Grande Chambre de recours
        • Go back
        • Vue d’ensemble
        • Pending referrals (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Decisions sorted by number (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Pending petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
        • Decisions on petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
      • Chambres de recours techniques
      • Chambre de recours juridique
      • Chambre de recours statuant en matière disciplinaire
      • Praesidium
        • Go back
        • Vue d’ensemble
    • Code de conduite
    • Plan de répartition des affaires
      • Go back
      • Vue d’ensemble
      • Technical boards of appeal by IPC in 2025
      • Archive
    • Liste annuelle des affaires
    • Communications
    • Rapport annuel
      • Go back
      • Vue d’ensemble
    • Publications
      • Go back
      • Résumés des décisions
    • La Jurisprudence des Chambres de recours
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Archive
  • Service et ressources
    • Go back
    • Vue d'ensemble
    • Mises à jour du site Internet
    • Disponibilité de services en ligne
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
    • FAQ
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
    • Publications
    • Commande
      • Go back
      • Connaissances des Brevets - Produits et Services
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Conditions générales
        • Go back
        • Vue d'ensemble
        • Produits d'informations brevets
        • Donnés brutes
        • Services brevets ouverts (OPS)
        • Charte d'utilisation équitable
    • Notifications relatives aux procédures
    • Liens utiles
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Offices des brevets des Etats membres
      • Autres offices des brevets
      • Répertoires de conseils en propriété industrielle
      • Bases de données, registres et gazettes des brevets
      • Disclaimer
    • Centre d'abonnement
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • S'abonner
      • Gérer ses préférences
      • Se désabonner
    • Contactez-nous
      • Go back
      • Vue d'ensemble
      • Options de dépôt
      • Localisations
    • Jours fériés
    • Glossaire
    • Flux RSS
Board of Appeals
Decisions

Recent decisions

Vue d'ensemble
  • 2025 decisions
  • 2024 decisions
  • 2023 decisions
  1. Accueil
  2. T 1295/19 (FMC / ENCAPSULATED CLOMAZONE) 07-06-2023
Facebook X Linkedin Email

T 1295/19 (FMC / ENCAPSULATED CLOMAZONE) 07-06-2023

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:2023:T129519.20230607
Date de la décision
07 June 2023
Numéro de l'affaire
T 1295/19
Requête en révision de
-
Numéro de la demande
07757238.6
Classe de la CIB
A01N 25/04
A01N 25/28
A01N 25/30
A01N 43/80
A01P 13/02
Langue de la procédure
EN
Distribution
NO DISTRIBUTION (D)

Téléchargement et informations complémentaires:

Décision en EN 464.38 KB
Les documents concernant la procédure de recours sont disponibles dans le Registre européen des brevets
Informations bibliographiques disponibles en:
EN
Versions
Non publié
Titre de la demande

STABLE MIXTURES OF MICROENCAPSULATED AND NON-ENCAPSULATED PESTICIDES

Nom du demandeur
FMC CORPORATION
Nom de l'opposant
Appelt, Christian W.
Chambre
3.3.02
Sommaire
-
Dispositions juridiques pertinentes
European Patent Convention Art 100(c)
European Patent Convention Art 56
Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal Art 12(4)
Mot-clé

Added subject-matter (no)

Inventive step - (yes)

Decision by the opposition division on admittance of evidence - overturned (no)

Exergue
-
Décisions citées
G 0007/93
Décisions dans lesquelles la présente décision est citée
-

Summary of Facts and Submissions

I. The appeal lodged by the opponent ("appellant") lies from the interlocutory decision of the opposition division, according to which European patent No. 1 986 494 ("the patent") as amended in the form of auxiliary request 1, the claims of which had been filed by letter dated 10 April 2018, and the invention to which it relates, meet the requirements of the EPC.

II. Claim 1 of the request considered allowable by the opposition division is identical to claim 1 as granted and reads as follows:

"1. A composition consisting of:

i) microencapsulated clomazone,

ii) a dispersant selected from the group consisting of a) a lignin, b) a lignosulfonate salt and c) a lignosulfonate salt combined with the sodium salt of substituted naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde polymer,

iii) at least one salt selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride;

iv) a non-encapsulated pesticide selected from the group consisting of napropamide, linuron and metribuzin;

v) optionally at least one agent selected from an anti-foam agent, a pH balancing agent, a thickening agent and an anti-microbial agent; and

vi) water."

III. An opposition was filed on the grounds of Article 100(a) and (c) EPC. During the opposition proceedings, reference was made, inter alia, to the following documents:

D1: WO 00/10392 A1

D8: US 5,783,520

D9: US 6,218,339 B1

D10: US 5,049,182

D13: Comparative examples filed by the patent proprietor with its reply to the notice of opposition

D14: CA 1,120,745

D15: GB 1 434 697

D16: D.A. Knowles, "Chemistry and technology of Agrochemical Formulations", Springer Science+Business Media BV, 1998, pages 132 to 146, 154 to 157, 158 to 174 and 188

D17a: WO 97/01574 A1

D17b: EP 0 854 675 B1

D18: Australian Government/Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority: "Generation of storage stability data for agricultural chemical products", available at: https://apvma.gov.au/node/1042#References

D19: "Analysis of Technical and Formulated Pesticides", CIPAC Handbook, vol. I, 1970, pages 951 to 953

IV. The opposition division came to the following conclusion, inter alia, on the claims of the main request (i.e. the patent as granted) and of auxiliary request 1 (i.e. the claims as granted but with claim 2 deleted):

- The ground for opposition under Article 100(c) EPC prejudiced the maintenance of the patent as granted since the subject-matter of claim 2 as granted extended beyond the content of the application as filed.

- The ground for opposition under Article 100(c) EPC did not prejudice the maintenance of the patent on the basis of the claims of auxiliary request 1.

- The subject-matter of claim 1 of auxiliary request 1 involved an inventive step when starting from D1 as the closest prior art.

Moreover, the opposition division admitted documents D13, D18 and D19 into the proceedings, but it did not admit documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b.

V. In the statement of grounds of appeal and subsequent submissions, the appellant raised objections of added subject-matter and of a lack of inventive step against the claims of auxiliary request 1 underlying the appealed decision. Moreover, the appellant contested the opposition division's decision concerning the admittance/non-admittance of documents D13 to D16, D17a, D17b, D18 and D19.

VI. In its reply to the appeal, the patent proprietor ("respondent") rebutted the appellant's arguments as regards the alleged lack of inventive step.

VII. The parties were summoned to oral proceedings as per their requests. In preparation for the oral proceedings, the board issued a communication under Article 15(1) RPBA 2020, in which it expressed, inter alia, its preliminary opinion that the subject-matter of the claims of the request found allowable by the opposition division did not extend beyond the content of the application as filed. Moreover, the board provisionally held that the opposition division exercised its discretion according to the right principles and in a reasonable way when it admitted documents D13, D18 and D19 but did not admit D14 to D16, D17a and D17b into the proceedings.

VIII. In their subsequent letters, the appellant and respondent replied to the board's communication only insofar as inventive step was concerned.

IX. Oral proceedings were held before the board on 7 June 2023 in the presence of both parties.

X. Final requests

The appellant requested that the appealed decision be set aside and that the patent be revoked. The appellant also requested that documents D13, D18 and D19 not be admitted into the proceedings and that documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b be admitted into the proceedings.

The respondent requested, as its main request, that the appeal be dismissed, i.e. that the patent be maintained as amended in the form of auxiliary request 1 as found allowable by the opposition division, or, alternatively, that the patent be maintained in amended form on the basis of the claims of one of auxiliary requests 2 or 3 as filed before the opposition division by letter dated 4 December 2018. The respondent also requested that documents D13, D18 and D19 be admitted and that documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b not be admitted into the proceedings.

XI. The appellant's submissions, where relevant to the present decision, are summarised in the following. For further details, reference is made to the reasons for the decision set out below.

Added subject-matter:

- Contrary to the decision of the opposition division, the specification of at least one salt and that of at least one further agent, under items (iii) and (v) of claim 1 of the main request, respectively, were not disclosed in the application as filed.

- Therefore, it had to be concluded that claim 1 of the main request contained added subject-matter.

Admittance/exclusion of documents D13 to D16, D17a, D17b, D18 and D19

- The opposition division erred in considering the late-filed documents D13, D18 and D19 to be prima facie relevant. These documents should thus be excluded from the proceedings.

- However, documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b were highly relevant and should have been admitted.

- Therefore, the opposition division's decision concerning the admittance/exclusion of the aforementioned documents should be overturned.

Inventive step

- Document D1, in particular the composition described on pages 6 to 7, represented the closest prior art.

- The only distinguishing feature of claim 1 of the main request was the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate.

- The only technical effect derivable from the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate was the provision of a less hazardous and less irritant composition.

- The solution provided by claim 1 of the main request was obvious in view of D1 alone or in view of D1 in combination with the common general knowledge as represented by documents D8 to D10, D14 to D16, D17a and D17b.

- It had to be concluded that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request lacked an inventive step.

XII. The respondent's submissions, where relevant to the present decision, are summarised as follows:

Added subject-matter:

- The opposition division correctly decided that claim 1 of the main request did not contain any subject-matter extending beyond the content of the application as filed. This decision should be confirmed.

Admittance/exclusion of documents D13 to D16, D17a, D17b, D18 and D19

- The opposition division correctly decided to admit documents D13, D18 and D19 and not to admit documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b into the proceedings.

- Therefore, this decision should be upheld.

Inventive step

- Document D1, in particular example 2, represented the closest prior art. However, even when starting from the composition disclosed on pages 6 to 8 of D1 as proposed by the appellant, an inventive step had to be acknowledged.

- The subject-matter of claim 1 differed from this composition of D1 in the use of one of the lignin sulfonates as a dispersant, the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, the selection of metribuzin as the second non-encapsulated herbicide and the nature of the calcium or sodium salts.

- The examples of the patent as well as the results reported in D13 demonstrated a reduction in the clomazone volatility achieved by the claimed composition.

- Even if the formulation of the objective technical problem proposed by the appellant, i.e. the provision of a less hazardous and less irritant composition, is accepted, at least the maintenance of the composition's stability should also be part of the formulation of the problem. This was because the composition's stability was directly linked to the maintenance of the integrity of the clomazone capsules, i.e. a low clomazone volatility, as explained in the patent, see paragraph [0005]. The examples of the patent, especially example 10, and the results of D13 demonstrated the maintenance of the composition's stability since a low clomazone volatility had been obtained with compositions falling under claim 1 of the main request.

- Even when looking for a less hazardous and less irritant composition, the skilled person would not have removed alkyl naphthalene sulfonate from the composition of D1 because the presence of this ionic dispersant was disclosed in D1 as being essential, together with a polymer surfactant like calcium lignosulfonate, for the maintenance of the integrity of the clomazone capsules and thus of the composition's stability. The skilled person would not have removed one of the essential components of the composition.

- It was accepted that D8 and D9 disclosed that lignosulfonates could assume the roles of a dispersant and a surfactant. However, lignosulfonate was used in these documents only in the process of preparing clomazone capsules and not to preserve the composition's stability when the clomazone capsules were mixed with a suspension of a second non-encapsulated herbicide.

- Thus, it had to be concluded that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request involved an inventive step.

Reasons for the Decision

Main request (auxiliary request 1 underlying the decision under appeal) - claim 1 - added subject-matter

1. Claim 1 of the main request is identical to claim 1 as granted and reads as follows (amendments to claim 1 as filed have been highlighted by the board):

"1. A composition [deleted: comprising] consisting of:

i) [deleted: a] microencapsulated [deleted: pesticide] clomazone,

ii) a dispersant selected from the group consisting of a) a lignin, b) a lignosulfonate salt and c) a lignosulfonate salt combined with the sodium salt of substituted naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde polymer, [deleted: and]

iii) [deleted: a] at least one salt selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride;

iv) a non-encapsulated pesticide selected from the group consisting of napropamide, linuron and metribuzin;

v) optionally at least one agent selected from an anti-foam agent, a pH balancing agent, a thickening agent and an anti-microbial agent; and

vi) water."

1.1 The appellant objected to features (iii) and (v). These two objections are addressed in the following.

Feature (iii)

1.2 The appellant argued that the application as filed only disclosed "a salt" selected from the cited group of salts. This meant only one salt. The passage bridging pages 3 and 4 of the application as filed, referred to by the opposition division as the basis for the amendment made, mentioned merely an unspecified mixture of salts. The subsequent passage disclosed only one salt or a mixture of two salts. The examples of the application as filed also disclosed compositions including either a single salt or a mixture of two salts. Therefore, the application as filed did not disclose, inter alia, that three or even all four salts mentioned in claim 1 of the main request could be present in the composition. These embodiments were, however, covered by claim 1 of the main request. Also, the priority application could be taken as evidence that it was not the intention of the respondent to include an unlimited number of salts in the claimed composition. The priority application was, namely, devoid of any disclosure of mixtures of salts.

1.3 The board disagrees. Claim 1 as filed states that the composition comprises "a salt selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride". The skilled person would have read the expression "a salt" as meaning "at least one salt" and not "only one salt" as argued by the appellant. This view is confirmed by the disclosure in the passage bridging pages 3 and 4 of the application as filed. This passage starts by stating "The salt can be present in an amount...". On account of the use of the words "The salt", reference is unambiguously made to the salt contained in the composition of the invention. This is defined previously in the passage bridging pages 2 and 3 of the application as filed and is stated to be selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride. In fact, this passage is followed by the detailed specification on pages 3 and 4 of the further components included in the composition. The sentence above, i.e. "The salt can be present in an amount...", is then immediately followed by the sentence specifying that the "salt can be present as a single salt or a mixture of salts". Sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride are examples of salts mentioned at the end of the latter sentence. These salts also belong to the group of salts listed in claim 1 as filed (ingredient (iii)). Thus, contrary to the appellant's view, this sentence does not refer to unspecified salts but, for the reasons set out above, to the salts included in the composition of the invention, namely the salts mentioned in claim 1 as filed as well as in claim 1 of the main request. Therefore, the application as filed directly and unambiguously discloses feature (iii) of claim 1 of the main request.

1.4 It is further noted that the content of the priority application does not play a role when deciding whether or not a certain claimed subject-matter is directly and unambiguously disclosed in the application as filed.

Feature (v)

1.5 The appellant argued that feature (v) was disclosed only on page 4, lines 5 to 6, of the application as filed. Here, however, it was stated that the cited components could only be present in the composition in combination. Claims 14, 15 and 17 as filed provided a disclosure for the inclusion of three of the four components mentioned, namely an anti-foam agent, a pH balancing agent and a thickening agent, but only individually since these claims referred back only to claim 1 as filed. In the examples, these same three components were used in combination. Therefore, the application as filed did not contain a basis for the broadening of feature (v) as defined in claim 1 of the main request to cover any combinations of the cited compounds.

1.6 This objection is not convincing either. The passage on page 4, lines 5 to 6, of the application as filed, to which the appellant makes reference, reads: "The composition can further comprise an anti-foam agent; a pH balancing agent; a thickening agent and an anti-microbial agent". The board concurs with the opposition division (see the appealed decision, page 8, point 42) that the skilled person would have directly and unambiguously read this sentence as meaning that the composition can optionally comprise one or more of the four components mentioned and not that the four components, if present, had to be included all together. This reading of the above passage on page 4 is confirmed by claims 14, 15 and 17 as filed, which define compositions containing only one of an anti-foam agent, a pH balancing agent and a thickening agent, respectively. Therefore, feature (v) of claim 1 of the main request does not contain subject-matter extending beyond the content of the application as filed.

1.7 For these reasons, the board has concluded that the appellant's objections of added subject-matter in relation to the main request are not convincing.

Documents D13, D18 and D19 - documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b - admittance into/exclusion from the appeal proceedings

2. Under Article 12(4) RPBA 2007, applicable in the current case pursuant to Articles 24 and 25(1), (2) RPBA 2020, the board has the power to hold inadmissible, inter alia, facts or evidence which could have been presented or were not admitted in the first-instance proceedings, even though they were presented with the statement of grounds of appeal or the reply thereto, relate to the case under appeal and meet the requirements of Article 12(2) RPBA 2007.

2.1 The opposition division decided (see the decision under appeal, pages 5 and 6, points 24 to 30) to admit into the proceedings documents D13, D18 and D19 as submitted by the respondent, and decided not to admit documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b as submitted by the appellant.

2.2 Each party requested that its documents be admitted into the appeal proceedings and that the other party's documents not be admitted; in the case of documents D13, D18 and D19, however, this amounted to a request to exclude them from the proceedings.

2.3 The appellant did not state according to which legal basis documents D13, D18 and D19 should be excluded. It was merely argued that these documents should not have been admitted because they were not prima facie relevant.

2.4 The board questions, considering the ex officio powers of the opposition division under Article 114 (1) EPC, whether documents admitted and considered by the opposition division in opposition proceedings can subsequently be excluded by the board on appeal. However, whether or not there is a legal basis for the board to exclude documents D13, D18 and D19 from the proceedings does not need to be addressed in the circumstances of the present case, because the board does not find any fault in the way the opposition division exercised its discretion when deciding on the admittance or non-admittance of the documents.

2.5 In fact, according to established case law, if a first-instance department is required under the EPC to exercise its discretion in certain circumstances, such a department should have a certain degree of freedom when exercising that discretion, without interference from boards of appeal. Accordingly, it is not within the remit of the board to re-examine the case and to decide whether it would have exercised its own discretion in the same way. The board should only overrule a discretionary decision of an examining or opposition division if it concludes that that division exercised its discretion in accordance with the wrong principles, or without taking into account the right principles, or in an unreasonable way (see G 7/93, OJ EPO 1994, 775, reasons 2.6 and Case Law of the Boards of Appeal, 10th edition, 2022, IV.C.4.5.2).

2.6 In the present case, the opposition division decided (see the appealed decision, pages 5 and 6, points 24 to 30) to admit D13, D18 and D19 into the proceedings and not to admit D14 to D16, D17a and D17b, on the basis of the prima facie relevance of these documents. According to the Guidelines for Examination, E-VI.2 (the edition of November 2018, i.e. the version applicable at the time the decision under appeal was taken; see also the edition of March 2023), prima facie relevance is the main criterion an opposition division should use when deciding on the admittance of late-filed evidence.

2.7 Therefore, the opposition division exercised its discretion according to the right principles and in a reasonable way.

2.8 As regards D13, in particular, it is further noted that this document was filed by the respondent with its reply to the notice of opposition. As a consequence, it was not late-filed and, thus, considerations as to its prima facie relevance are inconsequential since the opposition division did not have any discretion of non admitting this document.

2.9 In light of the above, the board sees no reason to overrule the decision of the opposition division relating to the admittance/non-admittance of the above documents. Thus, documents D13, D18 and D19 form part of the appeal proceedings, irrespective of whether or not there is a legal basis for excluding them. Documents D14 to D16, D17a and D17b remain excluded from these proceedings.

Main request (auxiliary request 1 underlying the decision under appeal) - claim 1 - inventive step under Article 56 EPC

3. Closest prior art

3.1 Both parties agreed that document D1 represented the closest prior art for the claimed subject-matter. In particular, the appellant pointed to the composition disclosed on pages 6 to 8 of D1, arguing that this embodiment had the most features in common with the composition defined in claim 1 of the main request. This embodiment should thus be used as the starting point for assessing inventive step. Although this selection was contested by the respondent, it too argued inventive step starting from this embodiment of D1.

3.2 D1 discloses on page 6, line 6, to page 8, line 3, a composition named "premixture", comprising a combination of a clomazone capsule suspension and a suspension of non-encapsulated particles of another agricultural agent, the latter being, inter alia, metribuzin (page 6, line 14). The same passage of D1 also discloses the preparation of the particle suspension of the agricultural agent to be combined with the suspension of clomazone capsules. This preparation involves the combination of the non-encapsulated agricultural agent as distinct from clomazone (this agent is termed "technical material", see page 7, line 13), a surfactant such as calcium lignosulfonate (page 7, line 14), a dispersing agent such as alkyl naphthalene sulfonate (page 7, line 14), an antifoam agent (page 7, line 15) and water (page 7, line 15). After stirring and milling (page 7, lines 15 to 16), materials like xanthan gum (page 7, line 17, i.e. a thickening agent), propylene glycol, and calcium or sodium salts (page 7, line 18) are added.

3.3 According to D1 (page 6, lines 15 to 28), the suspension of clomazone capsules maintains its integrity when admixed with the suspension of the other agricultural agent. Both parties agreed at the oral proceedings that the maintenance of the clomazone capsules' integrity implied a reduction in the clomazone volatility of the composition, which in turn resulted in the composition's stability. A reduction in the clomazone volatility and thus the achievement of a stable composition is an object shared with the application as filed and the patent. In fact, according to the disclosure of the application as filed and of the patent, the integrity of clomazone capsules should be maintained when these are mixed with a second non-encapsulated agricultural agent (see, in particular, page 2, lines 1 to 18, of the application as filed and paragraphs [0005] and [0006] of the patent).

3.4 Distinguishing features

3.4.1 The appellant argued that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request differed from the above composition of D1 only in that it did not contain alkyl naphthalene sulfonate.

3.4.2 However, the board notes that claim 1 of the main request requires the presence in the composition of "at least one salt selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and calcium chloride", whereas the above composition of D1 contains calcium or sodium salts in general.

3.4.3 Therefore, the distinguishing features of claim 1 at issue are:

- the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate;

- the selection of at least one of sodium chloride, sodium nitrate or calcium chloride as the calcium or sodium salts.

3.5 Objective technical problem

3.5.1 The appellant argued that even if the selection of at least one of sodium chloride, sodium nitrate or calcium chloride was regarded as a distinguishing feature (see second distinguishing feature above), no technical effect was linked to this selection.

3.5.2 As regards the first distinguishing feature, the appellant submitted that neither the examples of the patent nor the results reported in D13 demonstrated any reduction in the volatility of clomazone as a result of the removal of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate. The only technical effect deriving from the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate could be the provision of a less hazardous and less irritant composition, since alkyl naphthalene sulfonate was known to have a hazardous character and be irritant to eyes, skin and respiratory tract.

3.5.3 Therefore, according to the appellant, the objective technical problem was "the provision of an alternative composition comprising clomazone and a second herbicide selected from the group consisting of napropamide, linuron and metribuzin which composition is less hazardous".

3.5.4 The board agrees with the appellant that no technical effect is described in the application as filed or the patent as deriving from the selection of at least one of sodium chloride, sodium nitrate or calcium chloride as the calcium or sodium salts. Even the respondent did not rely on this distinguishing feature for arguing the presence of an inventive step.

3.5.5 As regards the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, the board can accept, for the sake of argument and in the appellant's favour, that this leads to a less hazardous and less irritant composition. However, the board concurs with the respondent that the examples of the patent and the application as filed, especially example 10 and the results reported in the table bridging pages 6 and 7 of the patent (page 12 of the application as filed), demonstrate that compositions according to claim 1 of the main request (compositions of examples 2, 3 and 5 to 8), i.e. those that do not contain any alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, exhibit low clomazone volatility. In other words, the integrity of the clomazone's capsules is maintained and the composition remains stable even in the absence of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate.

3.5.6 Therefore, the board concurs with the respondent that the objective technical problem should at least be seen as being the provision of a less irritant and less hazardous composition, while maintaining the integrity of the clomazone capsules and therefore the stability of the composition.

3.6 Obviousness of the solution

3.6.1 As a solution to the above-mentioned objective technical problem, claim 1 of the main request defines a composition, which, inter alia, does not contain any alkyl naphthalene sulfonate.

3.6.2 The appellant argued that the skilled person faced with the problem of providing a less hazardous and less irritant composition would inevitably have considered alkyl naphthalene sulfonate as the prime candidate to be omitted from the composition of D1. The skilled person would certainly not have considered leaving out the agricultural agents, i.e. clomazone and the second agricultural agent. The other agents mentioned in the "premixture" composition of D1 were calcium lignosulfonate, an antifoam agent, water, xanthan gum, propylene glycol and calcium or sodium salts, none of which were irritant or hazardous. Moreover, the fact that alkyl naphthalene sulfonate was used in the "premixture" composition of D1 as a dispersing agent would not have deterred the skilled person from omitting it from the composition either. The reason for this is that the skilled person would have immediately recognised that calcium lignosulfonate was also present in the "premixture" of D1. It was known that lignosulfonates acted not only as a surfactant but also as a dispersing agent. In this context, the appellant referred to documents D8 and D9. D8 disclosed in column 8, lines 51 and 52, that lignosulfonate acted as a surfactant. D9 disclosed in the table in column 11 that sodium lignosulfonate acted as a dispersant, while in claim 15 it was disclosed as a surfactant. Therefore, the skilled person would have recognised that lignosulfonate could assume both roles, namely that of both surfactant and dispersant. Thus, the skilled person would not have expected the removal of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate from the "premixture" of D1 to affect the stability of the composition.

3.6.3 The board disagrees. The "premixture" of D1 referred to under item 3.2 above is stated to contain both a copolymer surfactant, "such as a calcium lignosulfonate" and an ionic dispersing agent, "e.g., alkyl naphthalene sulfonate". This "premixture" of D1 is further illustrated in example 2 of D1 (page 9). Also here, both a polymeric surfactant and alkyl naphthalene sulfonate are contained in the composition comprising clomazone capsules and a second non-encapsulated agricultural agent (sulfentrazone). Hence, according to the teaching of D1 (page 6, lines 18 to 28), it is under these conditions, i.e. in the presence of both a polymeric surfactant and an ionic dispersing agent, especially alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, that the clomazone capsules' integrity and thus the composition's stability are maintained. In other words, both components are disclosed in D1 as being essential for guaranteeing the composition's stability.

3.6.4 As pointed out by the respondent at the oral proceedings, lignosulfonate is used in both D8 and D9 (D8: column 3, lines 10 to 28; D9: column 4, lines 13 to 52) in the process of preparing clomazone capsules. There is no indication in these documents that the use of lignosulfonate alone could preserve the capsules' integrity even when the clomazone capsules are mixed with a suspension of a second non-encapsulated agricultural agent. In fact, according to both the application as filed (page 2, lines 1 to 12, and the identical passage in paragraph [0005] of the patent) and D1 (page 1, lines 9 to 19, and page 6, lines 15 to 16), it is precisely when this mixing takes place that the capsules' integrity cannot be maintained.

3.6.5 As a consequence, the skilled person looking for a solution to the objective technical problem identified above and considering the teaching of D8 and D9 would not have had a reasonable expectation that, by removing alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, the resulting composition, though less hazardous and irritant, would also have maintained its stability in terms of the clomazone capsules' integrity.

3.6.6 In the written proceedings (see Annex 2 to the statement of grounds of appeal, pages 2 to 3), the appellant also referred to D10 as being representative of the common general knowledge to be combined with the teaching of D1. It was argued that D10 disclosed combinations of encapsulated pesticides and non-encapsulated napropamide, i.e. one of the non-encapsulated pesticides mentioned in claim 1 of the main request. D10 further disclosed the additional use of adjuvants, including a thickening agent. Therefore, the presence of further agents, e.g. thickening agents, in formulations comprising encapsulated and non-encapsulated herbicides was known in the art.

3.6.7 However, as set out above, a composition comprising encapsulated clomazone in combination with a non-encapsulated herbicide and a thickening agent, e.g. xanthan gum, is already known from D1 (see above). The appellant has not explained by means of the problem-solution approach why the skilled person would have combined the teachings of D1 and D10 when looking for a solution to the aforementioned objective technical problem, and why this combination would have led to the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request. The board also fails to see how the combination of D1 and D10 would have rendered obvious the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request.

3.6.8 In the written proceedings (see Annex 2 to the statement of grounds of appeal, pages 3 to 10), the appellant further referred to D14 to D16, D17a and D17b as being representative of the common general knowledge to be combined with the teaching of D1. However, for the reasons given above, these documents remain excluded from these proceedings and therefore do not have to be addressed.

3.7 For these reasons, the board has concluded that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request is not obvious when starting from D1 as the closest prior art under consideration of the teachings of D8, D9 and D10.

3.8 No other inventive-step objections were raised by the appellant. Therefore, the board has concluded that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request involves an inventive step within the meaning of Article 56 EPC.

Conclusion

4. None of the appellant's objections have been found to be convincing. Therefore, the main request is allowable.

Dispositif

Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

The appeal is dismissed.

Footer - Service & support
  • Soutien
    • Mises à jour du site Internet
    • Disponibilité de services en ligne
    • FAQ
    • Publications
    • Notifications relatives aux procédures
    • Contact
    • Centre d'abonnement
    • Jours fériés
    • Glossaire
Footer - More links
  • Centre de presse
  • Emploi et carrière
  • Single Access Portal
  • Achats
  • Chambres de recours
Facebook
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
Instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
Linkedin
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
X (formerly Twitter)
EPOorg
EPOjobs
Youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Adresse bibliographique
  • Conditions d’utilisation
  • Protection des données
  • Accessibilité

Nous utilisons des cookies

Nous utilisons des cookies sur notre site Internet afin de soutenir desfonctionnalités techniques qui améliorent votre expérience utilisateur. Il utilise également des fonctions d'analyse.

Pour regarder des vidéos sur notre site Internet, vous devez accepter les cookies YouTube. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter la politique de confidentialité de YouTube.