Octrooiering tomatenplant en broccoliplant niet uitgesloten door artikel 53(b) EOV

27-03-2015 Print this page
B913663

Grote Kamer van Beroep, 25 maart 2015, Tomatoes II en Grote Kamer van Beroep, 25 maart 2015, Broccoli II

 

Octrooirecht. Twee arresten van de Grote Kamer van Beroep van het Europees Octrooi Bureau over de vraag of de octrooien voor een tomatenplant en een broccoliplant toelaatbaar zijn in het licht van de uitsluiting van octrooiering in artikel 53(b) EOV (“planten- of dierenrassen of werkwijzen van wezenlijk biologische aard voor de voortbrenging van planten of dieren”).

 

De Grote Kamer van Beroep concludeert:

 

In Tomatoes II

"1 The exclusion of essentially biological processes for the production of plants in Article 53(b) EPC does not have a negative effect on the allowability of a product claim directed to plants or plant material such as a fruit.

 

2. In particular, the fact that the only method available at the filing date for generating the claimed subject-matter is an essentially biological process for the production of plants disclosed in the patent application does not render a claim directed to plants or plant material other than a plant variety unallowable.

 

3. In the circumstances, it is of no relevance that the protection conferred by the product claim encompasses the generation of the claimed product by means of an essentially biological process for the production of plants excluded as such under Article 53(b) EPC."

 

In Broccoli II

"1 The exclusion of essentially biological processes for the production of plants in Article 53(b) EPC does not have a negative effect on the allowability of a product claim directed to plants or plant material such as plant parts.

 

2. (a) The fact that the process features of a product-by-process claim directed to plants or plant material other than a plant variety define an essentially biological process for the production of plants does not render the claim unallowable.

 

(b) The fact that the only method available at the filing date for generating the claimed subject-matter is an essentially biological process for the production of plants disclosed in the patent application does not render a claim directed to plants or plant material other than a plant variety unallowable."

 

Lees de arresten hier (Tomatoes II) en hier (Broccoli II)