Patents
Oral proceedings at the EPO to be held by Zoom
July 01, 2021
The global pandemic has led to widespread use of video conferencing, including at the EPO. With effect from 1 October 2021, oral proceedings before the receiving section, the legal division and the examining divisions will be held exclusively by Zoom.
The EPO uses oral proceedings as a means to bring examination, opposition and appeal proceedings to a close. The right to oral proceedings is enshrined in law.
Following changes implemented due to the global pandemic, oral proceedings before the examining and opposition divisions are now held by video conference, unless there are serious reasons against it.
In a recent communication here, the EPO has announced that oral proceedings before the receiving section, the legal division and the examining divisions will be held exclusively by Zoom with effect from 1 October 2021.