Book review
Topic-Related Index to the EPC and PCT
Quick Reference for Daily Practice, EQE Paper D and Pre-Exam
Cees Mulder – Helze Publisher – 1st Edition, 307 pages, April 2020
N. Blokhuis (NL)
Every once in a while every European Patent Attorney is confronted with a legal issue which does not come up on a regular basis in his or her practice, either related to a particular case or invoked by questions of a trainee who is studying for the EQE. When looking into the respective legal issue, figuring out where to look for the information sometimes takes almost the same time as studying the issue itself.
This new book of Cees Mulder helps to significantly speed up this process, for EPC related issues as well as for PCT related issues.
In the Topic-Related Index to the EPC and PCT, he has brought all the relevant information together in a practical and accessible manner. The main body of the book contains tables with keywords followed by the legal provisions (EPC, PCT or Paris Convention) and the relevant finding place in the EPO Guidelines, PCT Applicant’s Guide and other reference texts. In the book, twelve main topics have been chosen around which a detailed reference guide has been built. The tables follow the structure of the EPC in a logical manner from filing to grant and for post-grant proceedings. For each relevant PCT topic, it is indicated how the EPO acts as intergovernmental organisation in the international phase as well as after entry in the regional phase. In addition, the relevant decisions/opinions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal are indicated in the tables. Comprehensive keyword indexes provide an easy access to the relevant topics.
The book is not only helpful for the daily work of patent attorneys, it also is a complete study guide for preparing for the legal questions part of the Pre Exam and Paper D of the European Qualifying Examination. The book helps the candidates to study topic-by-topic in a structured manner. In addition, the book contains a time schedule allowing a structured study of the topics in regular time intervals. And of course the book is also helpful as a quick reference index during the pre-exam and the main EQE.
All in all, in my opinion this is a useful tool for practising European Patent Attorneys as well as for trainees.
