EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE
October 17, 2016
Changes to the EPO opposition procedure came into force on July 1st, 2016.
The key changes include: (i) time limits will be extended only in exceptional cases upon a substantiated request; (ii) the opposition division may exceptionally consider other grounds for opposition beyond those raised in the notice of opposition; (iii) clarity objections may only be raised during opposition proceedings to the extent that a fault has been introduced by an amendment made after the grant of the patent; (iv) the final deadline for written submissions will now normally be set at two (2) months prior to the hearing; and (v) amendments filed during oral proceedings should be in the form of typed documents.