Communications from the Boards of Appeal

2026 revision now available with selected updates

New referral about claim interpretation now pending under G 1/26 (Coated steel strips).

The Annual Report 2025 of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office was published today.

Revived EPC Judges’ Symposium on 26-27 March in Munich welcomes patent judges from across Europe, the UPC and the BoA

The oral proceedings in case G 1/25 (“Hydroponics”) before the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal will be held on 8 May 2026.

EPO member states vote for additional term in office for President of the Boards of Appeal

After withdrawal of all appeals, appeal proceedings may not be continued with a third party who intervened during the appeal proceedings.

New referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal on the need to adapt the description to amended claims, pending under: G 1/25 (Hydroponics).

Covering almost 9 000 decisions, the 11th edition is the definitive guide to BoA case law

A product put on the market cannot be excluded from the state of the art only because its composition or internal structure cannot be reproduced.