1.因新型冠状病毒肺炎爆发而造成停工所引起的问题，提请注意欧洲专利公约和专利合作条约规定的在违反时限情况下的一般法律补救办法，特别是欧洲专利公约第134条第2款，并且还可能运用到欧洲专利公约第134条第5款和专利合作条约第82条第1款。

1.In view of the problems caused by the disruptions due to the COVID-19 outbreak attention is drawn to the general legal remedies provided for under the European Patent Convention (EPC) and under the Patent  Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in case of non-observance of time limits and, in particular, to the application of Rule 134(2) EPC in accordance with this Notice, as well as the possible application of Rule 134(5) EPC and Rule 82quater.1 PCT.

2.作为欧洲专利局所在国，德意志联邦共和国同其他许多缔约国一样，对人员流动、某些特定服务、交易和一般的公共生活都有所限制，因此可被认定为欧洲专利公约第134条第2款意义下的全面停工。因此，所有缔约方及其代表于本通知发布之日或之后到期的官方期限将延长至2020年4月17日。根据欧洲专利公约第150条第2款，本条也适用于专利合作条约项下的国际申请。如果停工期限超过上述日期，可另行公告延长。

2.As a state in which the European Patent Office is located the Federal Republic of Germany, like many other Contracting States, is experiencing restrictions on the movement and circulation of persons as well as on certain services, exchanges and public life in general, which can be qualified as a general dislocation within the meaning of Rule134(2) EPC. Periods expiring on or after the date of the publication of this notice are thus extended for all parties and their representatives to 17 April 2020.
In accordance with Article 150(2) EPC this applies also for international applications under the PCT. The above period may be further extended by the publication of another Notice in case the dislocation extends beyond the aforementioned date.

3.在不影响本通知第2款的前提下，对于本通知未涵盖的情况，如果由于申请人、一方当事人或其代表的居住地或营业地的疫情特殊情况而造成的邮件无法传送而违反时限的情况，欧洲专利公约第134条第5款提供了保障。本规定适用于因申请人无法控制的疫情情况，而未能遵守时限的情况，因此任何申请人、诉讼当事人或受疫情影响地区停工影响的代表均可援引本规定[1]。
3.Without prejudice to paragraph 2 of this Notice and in respect of cases not covered by it, Rule 134(5) EPC offers a safeguard in the case of non-observance of a time limit as a result of a dislocation in the delivery or transmission of mail caused by an exceptional occurrence affecting the locality where an applicant, a party or their representative resides or has his place of business. This provision applies to cases where the failure to observe time limits is the result of exceptional circumstances beyond the applicant's control and may therefore be invoked by any applicants, parties to proceedings or their representatives affected by the disruption in the areas affected by the outbreak [ 1 ].

4.根据《欧洲专利公约》第134条第5款，如果相关人员可在期限届满前10日内提供证据证明由于疫情特殊情况无法遵守时限，并且邮件或传送最迟在复工后的五日内进行，那么任何迟收的文件将被视为已在规定的时间内收到。
4.Pursuant to Rule 134(5) EPC, any document received late will be deemed to have been received in due time if the person concerned offers evidence that on any of the ten days preceding the day of expiry of a period, it was not possible to observe the time limit due to this exceptional occurrence and that the mailing or the transmission was effected at the latest on the fifth day after the end of the disruption.

5.在不影响本通知第2款的前提下，就专利合作条约规定的时限及其条件而言，申请人须参阅专利合作条约第82条第1款。尤其要注意的是，如果利害关系人可提供足够的证据证明由于利害关系人所在的居住地、营业地或正在逗留地有自然灾害或其他类似情况，因而不能满足专利合作条约规定的时限，且利害关系人已在合理的时间内尽快采取相关行动（且不迟于有关期限届满后6个月），则可免除其延迟履行该期限的责任。此规定适用于在国际阶段尚待处理的国际申请，但不适用于优先期。
5. Without prejudice to paragraph 2 of this Notice and as for time limits and conditions applicable under the PCT, applicants are referred to Rule 82quater.1 PCT. In particular, where the interested party offers satisfactory evidence that a time limit under the PCT was not met due to natural calamity or other like reason in the locality where the interested party resides, has his place of business or is staying, and that the relevant action was taken as soon as reasonably possible (and no later than six months after expiry of the time limit in question), the delay in meeting the time limit is excused. This provision applies to international applications pending in the international phase, but not to the priority period.

[ 1 ] 截至2020年3月13日，高风险地区名单已更新如下：中国、韩国、伊朗、意大利、德国北威州的县城海因斯贝格和法国的大西部地区。请注意，受新型冠状病毒肺炎扩散影响的区域可能会发生变化。请参阅欧洲专利局官网查看定期更新。
 [ 1 ] As of 13 March 2020 the list of high-risk areas has been updated to the following: China, South Korea, Iran, Italy and the German Landkreis Heinsberg in Nordrhein Westfalen, the French region Grand Est. Please note that the definition of areas affected by the spread of the COVID-19 may be subject to change. Please refer to the EPO website for regular updates.
https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/official-journal/information-epo/archive/20200315.html

附原文链接：https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/official-journal/information-epo/archive/20200315.html