Response to the consultation on the revision of the RPBA

CIPA welcomes the proposal to revise the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal (“the Rules”).

The institute supports revisions which have the effect of:

• reducing the pendency and backlog of appeal cases;
  
• increasing efficiency, clarity and fairness of proceedings for all parties;
  
• maintaining the independence of the Boards of Appeal;
  
• increasing consistency between Boards, for both ex parte and inter partes appeals; and 
• increasing consistency between Boards and first instance Divisions,
  
• whilst maintaining the high quality of the Boards’ decisions.

The Explanatory Remarks are helpful and CIPA wonders whether parts could be incorporated into the Rules themselves rather than in the form of an additional document…   

Download the full response below.

Date Published: 30 April 2018

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