G 4/95
G 4/95 is a decision issued on 19 February 1996 by the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO). The decision deals with oral submissions by an accompanying person in opposition or opposition appeal proceedings, and more specifically the extent and the circumstances under which an accompanying person or similar may add to the authorized representative's submissions during oral proceedings. The Enlarged Board of Appeal held that an accompanying person may be allowed to make oral submissions in relation to either legal or technical issues provided that the authorized representative maintains overall control at all times and "under the overall discretionary control of the EPO".

Questions referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal
The referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal lies from an interlocutory decision T 803/93 from Technical Board of Appeal 3.4.1. The referred questions are:

Answers to the referred questions
The Enlarged Board of Appeal answered these questions as follows:

Practical aspects
Parties are advised to request oral submissions by an accompanying person in good time. If such submissions are requested shortly before inter partes proceedings, the request will normally be refused.
It should be stressed that an accompanying person like a third person who is not party to the proceedings does not have a right to be heard.

References

External links 
 G 0004/95 () of 19 February 1996
 Decision G 4/95, Official Journal EPO 1996, 412
 Decision T 803/93 of 19 July 1995 (referring decision)

G 1995 4
1996 in case law
1996 in Europe
Jurisdiction