Successful European oppositions: Analysis for the patent information professional Original Research Article

European patents can be opposed within nine months after grant. The success rate of oppositions seems to be dependent on the technical area. A complete revocation of a granted patent may become the result of a successful opposition. The main reasons for revocation are lack of inventive step (43%), lack of novelty (22%) or added subject matter (11%). From the patent information perspective, an opposition search against a European Patent needs, therefore, be focused primarily on inventive step, and also novelty.