Chapter I – Patentability
16th edition: this version presents the text in force on 1 July 2020. |
European patents shall not be granted in respect of:
(a) inventions the commercial exploitation of which would be contrary to "ordre public" or morality; such exploitation shall not be deemed to be so contrary merely because it is prohibited by law or regulation in some or all of the Contracting States;
(b) 42plant or animal varieties or essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals; this provision shall not apply to microbiological processes or the products thereof;
(c) methods for treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy and diagnostic methods practised on the human or animal body; this provision shall not apply to products, in particular substances or compositions, for use in any of these methods.
40Amended by the Act revising the European Patent Convention of 29.11.2000.
41See the decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 3/95, G 1/98, G 1/03, G 2/03, G 1/04, G 2/06, G 1/07, G 2/07, G 1/08, G 2/08 of 19.02.2010, G 1/16, G 3/19 (Annex I).
42See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 2/12, G 2/13.