News and Publications

Our response to the proposed new amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal (RPBA)

The EPO has opened a User Consultation on the proposed new amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal (RPBA). The amendments seek to support more ambitious timeliness objectives,...

UPC appoints 21 new Technically Qualified Judges

After its recent declaration regarding the appointment of 21 new technically qualified judges (TQJs), the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has yesterday released a comprehensive roster of these TQJs a...

Austria ratifies the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the UPC

As reported by the Council of the EU, Austria has deposited its instrument of ratification of the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities (PPI) of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) on July 28. Austria h...

How will the Boards interpret the plausibility test in G 2/21?

The million euro question in European patent law these days is: how will the Boards interpret the plausibility test in G 2/21? HOFFMANN EITLE's Munich partner Jan Zillies took part in one of the ve...

HOFFMANN EITLE congratulates newly qualified European Patent Attorneys

We are very proud to announce the HOFFMANN EITLE colleagues who have passed the European Qualifying Examination (EQE) this year. Congratulations go to: Saskia Gressel (Biotechnology, Munich) T...

When Are Products “Available to the Public” in the Sense of Art. 54(2) EPC?

There is a new and very interesting referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) of the EPO (T438/19). The referral questions relate to the scenario that the prior art of interest is a product on...

HOFFMANN EITLE Quarterly Newsletter 6/23

Dear Colleagues and Friends, In this issue of the Hoffmann Eitle Quarterly, we first look at how computer-implemented inventions in the field of mechanical engineering and applied physics can be p...

HOFFMANN EITLE wins at Managing IP Awards 2023

HOFFMANN EITLE wins two awards "EPO Proceedings Firm of the Year" and "Germany Patent Disputes Firm of the Year" at the MIP awards show. Special thanks to Matthew Birkett, Iven Mueller, Kei Enomot...

Milan, Munich, and Paris allocated roles in the Unified Patent Court

Italy, France, and Germany have reached an agreement on the division of competences previously designated to London within the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The outcome of their trilateral discussion...

The Unified Patent Court and Unitary Patent: A New Era Begins!

After many decades of anticipation, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the Unitary Patent has come into effect today. This landmark moment marks a significant step forward in European patent law an...