【百一时讯】（双语）欧专局关于审查部门通过视频会议进行口头审理的决定
欧洲专利局主席根据《欧洲专利公约》第10（2）（a）条和第116条，决定如下：
The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Articles 10(2)(a) and 116 of the European Patent Convention (EPC), has decided as follows:
第1条
审查部门通过视频会议进行口头审理程序
Article 1
Oral proceedings by videoconference before examining divisions
（1） 审查部门的口头审理程序将通过视频会议进行。
(1) Oral proceedings before examining divisions are to be held by videoconference.
（2） 尽管有第1款的规定，如果有重大理由无法通过视频会议进行口头审理程序，比如需要直接取证，则可应申请人的请求或在审查部门的发起下在欧洲专利局进行口头审理程序。如果在欧洲专利局现场进行口头审理程序的请求被拒绝，申请人将被告知理由；不可就被拒绝一事单独上诉。
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph 1, oral proceedings may be held on the premises of the European Patent Office, either at the request of the applicant or at the instigation of the examining division if there are serious reasons against holding the oral proceedings by videoconference such as, in particular, the need to take evidence directly. If a request to hold oral proceedings on the premises of the European Patent Office is refused, the applicant will be informed of the reasons; such a refusal is not separately appealable.
（3） 通过视频会议进行的口头审理程序其效力等同于在欧洲专利局现场进行的口头审理程序。
(3) Oral proceedings by videoconference are equivalent to oral proceedings held on the premises of the European Patent Office.
第2条
异地远程参与
Article 2
Remote participation from different locations
（1） 经要求，申请人及其代表可在不同地点通过视频会议参加口头审理程序。
(1) Upon request, the applicant and its representative may connect to the oral proceedings by videoconference from different locations.
（2） 审查部门成员可在不同地点通过视频会议参加口头审理程序。在这种情况下，该部门成员将通过单独的视频会议进行审议和表决。在口头审理程序开始之前，将通过视频会议告知申请人审查部门成员的远程参与情况。
(2) The members of the examining division may connect to the oral proceedings by videoconference from different locations. In such cases, the members of the division will deliberate and vote among themselves by separate videoconference. The applicant will be informed of the remote participation of the members of the examining division before the start of the oral proceedings by videoconference.
（3）口头审理程序的地点将被视为审查部门所在的地点。
(3) The venue of oral proceedings will be deemed to be the location where the examining division is set up.
第3条
在视频会议口头审理程序中提交的资料
Article 3
Submissions during oral proceedings by videoconference
在审查部门通过视频会议进行口头审理期间，申请人应根据欧洲专利局主席的有关决定，通过电子通信的方式提交文件。
During oral proceedings by videoconference before an examining division, documents are to be filed by means of electronic communication in accordance with the relevant decision of the President of the European Patent Office.
第4条
技术问题
Article 4
Technical problems
如在视频会议期间有无法解决的技术问题，使得申请人无法按照欧洲专利公约第113条和第116条赋予的权利进行口头审理程序，审查部门将重新发出口头审理传票。
If technical problems preventing the oral proceedings by videoconference from being conducted in accordance with the applicant's rights under Articles 113 and 116 EPC cannot be overcome during the videoconference, the examining division will issue a new summons to oral proceedings.
第5条
关于未能出席口头审理程序的视频会议
Article 5
Non-attendance at oral proceedings by videoconference
如果申请人因技术问题以外的原因未能出席视频会议进行口头审理程序，该程序可根据欧洲专利公约第115条第二款继续进行。
If an applicant fails to connect to the oral proceedings by videoconference for reasons other than technical problems, the proceedings may continue in accordance with Rule 115(2) EPC.
第6条
生效和过渡条款
Article 6
Entry into force and transitional provisions
本决定于2020年4月2日生效，并适用于在该日或该日之后通过传票通知的在审查部门进行的口头审理程序。此外，本决定还适用于原定于2020年4月17日之后进行的口头审理程序，该日之后进行的口头审理程序将通过视频会议进行，并且申请人已在2020年4月2日之前得到通知。在2020年4月2日之前通过传票通知在欧洲专利局进行口头审理程序的，且申请人也已同意在该日或之后通过视频会议进行口头审理程序的，同样适用本决定第2条至第5条。
This decision enters into force on 2 April 2020 and applies to oral proceedings before examining divisions the summons to which is notified on or after that date. In addition, it applies to oral proceedings scheduled for a date after 17 April 2020 the summons to which indicated that they are to be held by videoconference and was already notified prior to 2 April 2020. Articles 2 to 5 also apply to oral proceedings for which a summons to oral proceedings on the premises of the European Patent Office was notified prior to 2 April 2020 and which the applicant has agreed to have held by videoconference on or after that date.
