Rule 27a - OJ 1998, Suppl. No. 2 to OJ 11/1998, page 59

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 2 October 1998 concerning the presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequences in patent applications and the filing of sequence listings

- OJ 1998, Suppl. No. 2 to OJ 11/98, p. 59 -

The "Standard for the presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings in international applications under the PCT"¹ (or "PCT Standard", see Rules 5.2, 12.1 (d) and 13ter PCT as well as Section 208 of and Annex C to the PCT Administrative Instructions) came into force for international applications under the PCT on 1 July 1998. WIPO Standard ST.25 for the presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequences in patent applications also came into force on that date. This new WIPO Standard, which replaces WIPO Standards ST.23 and ST.24, recommends that patent offices also apply the PCT Standard mutatis mutandis to all patent applications in addition to international applications.

According to the decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 2 October 1998² (hereinafter referred to as the "decision of the President"), WIPO Standard ST.25, and hence the PCT Standard, will enter into force for the European patent grant procedure on 1 January 1999.

This notice supplements the decision of the President and is intended to clarify the EPC and PCT procedures.

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