| G 2/06 | ||
|---|---|---|
Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office |
||
| Issued November 25, 2008 | ||
| Board composition | ||
|
||
| Headwords | ||
|
G 2/06 is a decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO), which was issued on November 25, 2008. The Enlarged Board of Appeal decided that, under the European Patent Convention (EPC), a patent cannot be granted for an invention which necessarily involves the use and destruction of human embryos. [1] [2] The decision notably refers to the provisions of EU Directive 98/44/EC of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, [1] referred to in Rule 26(1) EPC.
The reactions to the decision were mixed. According to Reuters, the decision could stifle research by stem cell companies for commercial purposes. [3] In contrast, according to the Guardian, "some experts believe this will provide a boost for European companies developing technologies based on human embryonic stem cells". [4]