欧州特許条約規則（ＥＰＣ規則）Rule 43
EPC2000（EPC改正条約：2007年12月13日に施行）により条文が（位置などを含めて）かなり変わったので、復習の意味を込めて目を通しておく。
European Patent Convention (EPC)
Implementing Regulations to the Convention on the Grant of European Patents
Chapter II (Provisions governing the application)
Rule 43 (Form and content of claims)
(1) The claims shall define the matter for which protection is sought in terms of the technical features of the invention. Wherever appropriate, claims shall contain:
(a) a statement indicating the designation of the subject-matter of the invention and those technical features which are necessary for the definition of the claimed subject-matter but which, in combination, form part of the prior art;
(b) a characterising portion, beginning with the expression “characterised in that” or “characterised by” and specifying the technical features for which, in combination with the features stated under sub-paragraph (a), protection is sought.
いわゆる２部形式のクレームを原則として記載すること。プレアンブルは、”necessary for the definition of the claimed subject-matter”なので、権利化後のことも考えると、最小限でよい。
(2) Without prejudice to Article 82, a European patent application may contain more than one independent claim in the same category (product, process, apparatus or use) only if the subject-matter of the application involves one of the following:
(a) a plurality of interrelated products,
(b) different uses of a product or apparatus,
(c) alternative solutions to a particular problem, where it is inappropriate to cover these alternatives by a single claim.
【参考】
Article 82 （Unity of invention）
The European patent application shall relate to one invention only or to a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive concept.
他、単一性に関しては、規則44に規定されている。
(3) Any claim stating the essential features of an invention may be followed by one or more claims concerning particular embodiments of that invention.
(4) Any claim which includes all the features of any other claim (dependent claim) shall contain, if possible at the beginning, a reference to the other claim and then state the additional features.
A dependent claim directly referring to another dependent claim shall also be admissible.
All dependent claims referring back to a single previous claim, and all dependent claims referring back to several previous claims, shall be grouped together to the extent and in the most appropriate way possible.
従属クレームに関しての規定。米国、中国などと異なり、マルチ従属のマルチ従属は認められない、などの規定はない。日本実務と同様である。
(5) The number of claims shall be reasonable with regard to the nature of the invention claimed. The claims shall be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals.
本規定に基づき、ＥＰ実務では時折、クレーム数がreasonableでない（ぐらいに多い）、との理由で拒絶を受けることがある（大概は単一性の拒絶と共に）。
(6) Except where absolutely necessary, claims shall not rely on references to the description or drawings in specifying the technical features of the invention. In particular, they shall not contain such expressions as “as described in part … of the description”, or “as illustrated in figure … of the drawings”.
オムニバスクレームは、原則認められていない。”absolutely necessary”という状況は、ほとんどないのではないかと思われる。
(7) Where the European patent application contains drawings including reference signs, the technical features specified in the claims shall preferably be followed by such reference signs relating to these features, placed in parentheses, if the intelligibility of the claim can thereby be increased. These reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the claim.
クレームの参照符号が、クレームの限定にならないことの確認規定。
[TY（弁理士）]
