Priority allows protection against any disclosure occurring between the priority application and one’s own filing. However, it is not that straightforward…
Applicable Text
France has indeed been a signatory state to the Paris Convention from the outset (the opposite would have been surprising): Article 4 CUP, governing priority matters, is fully applicable in France.
The French Intellectual Property Code (CPI) does not explicitly state that the Paris Convention is applicable, but international treaties signed by France are enforceable (Article 55 of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic).
Substantive Conditions to Be Met
Persons Entitled to Claim Priority
Nationals of a Union State or WTO Member
Since the right of priority under the Paris Convention applies only to Union states (Article 1(1) CUP) or WTO members (Article 2.1 TRIPS in conjunction with Article 1(1) CUP), it has been interpreted that only nationals of such states may claim the right of priority under the Paris Convention.
However, there are no domicile requirements for such nationals (Article 2(2) CUP or Article 2.1 TRIPS in conjunction with Article 2(2) CUP).
Persons who are domiciled or have an « effective and serious » establishment in the territory of one of the Union countries (Article 3 CUP) or WTO members (Article 2.1 TRIPS in conjunction with Article 3 CUP) are assimilated to such persons.
Limitation
Nevertheless, this does not mean that these are the only conditions for claiming priority.
The only persons who may claim priority are (Article 4.A(1) CUP):
- the applicant of the earlier application;
- their successor in title:
- the transfer of the right of priority must have taken place before the filing date of the application claiming priority;
- the transfer of the right of priority must be evidenced in writing (Article L613-8 CPI, paragraph 5) under penalty of nullity;
- proof of the transfer must be provided within 16 months from the priority date (Article R612-24 CPI, paragraph 5).
It should be noted that, according to French case law, the assignment of the priority application does not automatically entail the assignment of the right of priority (the right of priority is an independent right, not accessory to the right to the patent, Paris Court of Appeal, May 11, 1987): therefore, pay close attention to the terms of the contract.
Furthermore, a broad provision such as « with all rights attached thereto without any reservation or exception » does not appear sufficient to transfer the right of priority (French Supreme Court, Commercial Chamber, June 18, 1996, No. 94-18909).
Applications Allowing Priority to Be Claimed
Nature of Applications
The application serving as the basis for a priority claim for a patent application may be (Article 4.E(2) CUP):
- a patent application,
- a utility model application.
Origins of Applications
The priority application must have been filed:
- in a country signatory to the Paris Convention (A4.A.1 Paris Convention);
- in a WTO member country (A2.1 TRIPS together with A4.A.1 Paris Convention).
The majority of « regional » applications (e.g., EP patent application) provide that the filing of a « regional » application is equivalent to a national filing in one of the member countries. Thus, for example, a European application will give rise to a right of priority in France (A66 EPC).
Furthermore, the priority application may also have been filed in a country that grants similar provisions regarding priority (L611-12 IPC).
For reference, here is the list of Paris Convention and WTO countries:
| STATE | WTO | PCT | PLT | PARIS CONVENTION | EPC |
| South Africa | 01/01/1995 | 16/03/2009 | 01/12/1947 | ||
| Albania | 08/09/2000 | 04/10/1995 | 17/05/2010 | 04/10/1995 | 01/03/2010 |
| Algeria | 08/03/2000 | 01/03/1966 | |||
| Germany | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 01/05/2003 | 07/10/1977 | |
| Andorra | 02/06/2004 | ||||
| Angola | 23/11/1996 | 27/12/2007 | 27/12/2007 | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda | 01/01/1995 | 17/03/2000 | 17/03/2000 | ||
| Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of | 11/12/2005 | 03/08/2013 | 11/03/2004 | ||
| Argentina | 01/01/1995 | 10/02/1967 | |||
| Armenia | 05/02/2003 | 25/12/1991 | 25/12/1991 | ||
| Australia | 01/01/1995 | 31/03/1980 | 16/03/2009 | 10/10/2025 | |
| Austria | 01/01/1995 | 23/04/1979 | 01/01/2009 | 01/05/1979 | |
| Azerbaijan | 25/12/1995 | 25/12/1995 | |||
| Bahamas | 10/07/1973 | ||||
| Bahrain – Kingdom of | 01/01/1995 | 18/03/2007 | 15/12/2005 | 29/10/1997 | |
| Bangladesh | 01/01/1995 | 03/03/1991 | |||
| Barbados | 01/01/1995 | 12/03/1985 | 12/03/1985 | ||
| Belarus | 25/12/1991 | 25/12/1991 | |||
| Belgium | 01/01/1995 | 14/12/1981 | 07/07/1884 | 07/10/1977 | |
| Belize | 01/01/1995 | 17/06/2000 | 17/06/2000 | ||
| Benin | 22/02/1996 | 26/02/1987 | 10/01/1967 | ||
| Myanmar | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Bhutan | 04/08/2000 | ||||
| Bolivia – Plurinational State of | 12/09/1995 | 04/11/1993 | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 07/09/1996 | 09/05/2012 | 01/03/1992 | ||
| Botswana | 31/05/1995 | 30/10/2003 | 15/04/1998 | ||
| Brazil | 01/01/1995 | 09/04/1978 | 07/07/1884 | ||
| Brunei Darussalam | 01/01/1995 | 24/07/2012 | 17/02/2012 | ||
| Bulgaria | 01/12/1996 | 21/03/1984 | 13/06/2021 | 01/07/2002 | |
| Burkina Faso | 03/06/1995 | 21/03/1989 | 19/11/1963 | ||
| Burundi | 23/07/1995 | 03/09/1977 | |||
| Cambodia | 13/10/2004 | 22/09/1998 | |||
| Cameroon | 13/12/2005 | 24/01/1978 | 10/05/1964 | ||
| Canada | 01/01/1995 | 02/01/1990 | 12/06/2025 | ||
| Cabo Verde | 23/07/2008 | ||||
| Chile | 01/01/1995 | 02/06/2009 | 14/06/1991 | ||
| China | 11/12/2001 | 01/01/1994 | 19/03/1985 | ||
| Cyprus | 30/07/1995 | 01/04/1998 | 17/01/1966 | 01/04/1998 | |
| Colombia | 30/04/1995 | 28/01/2001 | 06/09/1996 | ||
| Comoros | 03/04/2005 | 03/04/2005 | |||
| Congo | 27/03/1997 | 24/01/1978 | 02/09/1963 | ||
| Korea – Republic of | 01/01/1995 | 10/08/1984 | 04/05/1980 | ||
| Costa Rica | 01/01/1995 | 03/08/1999 | 31/10/1995 | ||
| Côte d’Ivoire | 01/01/1995 | 30/04/1991 | 23/10/1963 | ||
| Croatia | 30/11/2000 | 01/07/1998 | 28/04/2005 | 08/10/1991 | 01/01/2008 |
| Cuba | 01/01/1995 | 16/01/1996 | 17/11/2004 | ||
| Denmark | 01/01/1995 | 01/12/1978 | 28/04/2005 | 01/10/1984 | 01/01/1990 |
| Djibouti | 01/01/1995 | 13/05/2001 | |||
| Dominica | 01/01/1995 | 07/08/1999 | 07/08/1999 | ||
| Egypt | 01/01/1995 | 06/09/2003 | 01/07/1951 | ||
| El Salvador | 01/01/1995 | 17/08/2006 | 19/02/1994 | ||
| United Arab Emirates | 10/04/1996 | 10/03/1999 | 19/02/1996 | ||
| Ecuador | 21/01/1996 | 07/05/2001 | 22/06/1999 | ||
| Spain | 01/01/1995 | 16/11/1989 | 07/07/1884 | 01/10/1986 | |
| Estonia | 13/11/1995 | 24/08/1994 | 28/04/2005 | 24/08/1994 | 01/07/2002 |
| United States of America | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 30/05/1887 | ||
| Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 04/04/2003 | 10/08/1995 | 22/04/2010 | 08/09/1991 | 01/01/2009 |
| Fiji | 14/01/1996 | ||||
| Finland | 01/01/1995 | 01/10/1980 | 06/03/2006 | 20/09/2021 | |
| France | 01/01/1995 | 25/02/1978 | 05/01/2010 | 07/07/1884 | 01/10/1977 |
| Gabon | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 29/02/1964 | ||
| Gambia | 23/10/1996 | 09/12/1997 | 21/01/1992 | ||
| Georgia | 14/06/2000 | 25/12/1991 | 25/12/1991 | ||
| Ghana | 01/01/1995 | 26/02/1997 | 28/09/1976 | ||
| Greece | 01/01/1995 | 09/10/1990 | 02/10/2024 | 01/10/1986 | |
| Grenada | 22/02/1996 | 22/09/1998 | 22/09/1998 | ||
| Guatemala | 01/01/1995 | 14/10/2006 | 18/08/1998 | ||
| Guinea | 01/01/1995 | 27/05/1991 | 05/02/1982 | ||
| Guinea-Bissau | 01/01/1995 | 12/12/1997 | 28/06/1988 | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | 17/07/2001 | 26/06/1997 | |||
| Guyana | 01/01/1995 | 25/10/1994 | |||
| Haiti | 30/01/1996 | 01/07/1958 | |||
| Honduras | 01/01/1995 | 20/06/2006 | 04/02/1994 | ||
| Hong Kong – China | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Hungary | 01/01/1995 | 27/06/1980 | 12/03/2008 | 01/01/1979 | 01/01/2003 |
| Solomon Islands | 26/07/1996 | ||||
| India | 01/01/1995 | 07/12/1998 | 07/12/1998 | ||
| Indonesia | 01/01/1995 | 05/09/1997 | 24/12/1950 | ||
| Iran | 04/10/2013 | 16/12/1959 | |||
| Iraq | 24/01/1976 | ||||
| Ireland | 01/01/1995 | 01/08/1992 | 27/05/2012 | 04/12/2025 | 01/08/1992 |
| Iceland | 01/01/1995 | 23/03/1995 | 05/05/1962 | 01/11/2004 | |
| Israel | 01/01/1995 | 01/06/1996 | 24/03/1950 | ||
| Italy | 01/01/1995 | 28/03/1985 | 07/07/1884 | 01/12/1978 | |
| Jamaica | 01/01/1995 | 24/12/1999 | |||
| Japan | 01/01/1995 | 01/10/1978 | 15/07/1899 | ||
| Jordan | 11/04/2000 | 17/07/1972 | |||
| Kazakhstan | 25/12/1991 | 19/10/2011 | 25/12/1991 | ||
| Kenya | 01/01/1995 | 08/06/1994 | 14/06/1965 | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | 20/12/1998 | 25/12/1991 | 28/04/2005 | 25/12/1991 | |
| Kuwait | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Lesotho | 31/05/1995 | 21/10/1985 | 28/09/1989 | ||
| Latvia | 10/02/1999 | 07/09/1993 | 12/06/2010 | 07/09/1993 | 01/07/2005 |
| Lebanon | 01/09/2024 | ||||
| Liberia | 27/08/1994 | 27/08/1994 | |||
| Libya | 15/09/2005 | 28/09/1976 | |||
| Liechtenstein | 01/09/1995 | 18/12/2009 | 14/07/1933 | 01/04/1980 | |
| Lithuania | 31/05/2001 | 08/07/1994 | 03/02/2012 | 22/05/1994 | 01/12/2004 |
| Luxembourg | 01/01/1995 | 30/04/1978 | 30/06/2022 | 07/10/1977 | |
| Macao – China | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Madagascar | 17/11/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 21/12/1963 | ||
| Malaysia | 01/01/1995 | 16/08/2006 | 01/01/1989 | ||
| Malawi | 31/05/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 06/07/1964 | ||
| Maldives | 31/05/1995 | ||||
| Mali | 31/05/1995 | 19/10/1984 | 01/03/1983 | ||
| Malta | 01/01/1995 | 01/03/2007 | 20/10/1967 | 01/03/2007 | |
| Morocco | 01/01/1995 | 08/10/1999 | 30/07/2017 | ||
| Mauritius | 01/01/1995 | 24/09/1976 | |||
| Mauritania | 31/05/1995 | 13/04/1983 | 11/04/1965 | ||
| Mexico | 01/01/1995 | 01/01/1995 | 07/09/2003 | ||
| Moldova | 26/07/2001 | 25/12/1991 | 28/04/2005 | ||
| Monaco | 22/06/1979 | 29/04/1956 | 01/12/1991 | ||
| Mongolia | 29/01/1997 | 27/05/1991 | 21/04/1985 | ||
| Montenegro | 29/04/2012 | 03/06/2006 | 09/03/2012 | 03/06/2006 | |
| Mozambique | 26/08/1995 | 18/05/2000 | 09/07/1998 | ||
| Myanmar (Burma) | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Namibia | 01/01/1995 | 01/01/2004 | 01/01/2004 | ||
| Nepal | 23/04/2004 | 22/06/2001 | |||
| Nicaragua | 03/09/1995 | 06/03/2003 | 03/07/1996 | ||
| Niger | 13/12/1996 | 21/03/1993 | 05/07/1964 | ||
| Nigeria | 01/01/1995 | 08/05/2005 | 28/04/2005 | 02/09/1963 | |
| Norway | 01/01/1995 | 01/01/1980 | 01/07/1885 | 01/01/2008 | |
| New Zealand | 01/01/1995 | 01/12/1992 | 29/07/1931 | ||
| Oman | 09/11/2000 | 26/10/2001 | 16/10/2007 | 14/07/1999 | |
| Uganda | 01/01/1995 | 09/02/1995 | 14/06/1965 | ||
| Uzbekistan | 25/12/1991 | 19/07/2006 | 25/12/1991 | ||
| Pakistan | 01/01/1995 | 22/07/2004 | |||
| Panama | 06/09/1997 | 07/09/2012 | 19/10/1996 | ||
| Papua New Guinea | 09/06/1996 | 14/06/2003 | 15/05/1999 | ||
| Paraguay | 01/01/1995 | 28/05/1994 | |||
| Netherlands | 01/01/1995 | 10/07/1979 | 27/12/2010 | 07/07/1884 | 07/10/1977 |
| Peru | 01/01/1995 | 06/06/2009 | 11/04/1995 | ||
| Philippines | 01/01/1995 | 17/08/2001 | 27/09/1965 | ||
| Poland | 01/01/1995 | 25/12/1990 | 10/11/2019 | 01/03/2004 | |
| Portugal | 01/01/1995 | 24/11/1992 | 07/07/1984 | 01/01/1992 | |
| Qatar | 13/01/1996 | 03/08/2011 | 05/07/2000 | ||
| Syrian Arab Republic | 26/06/2003 | 01/09/2024 | |||
| Central African Republic | 31/05/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 19/11/1963 | ||
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 01/01/1997 | 31/01/1975 | |||
| Dominican Republic | 09/03/1995 | 28/05/2007 | |||
| Kyrgyz Republic | 20/12/1998 | ||||
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic | 02/02/2013 | 14/06/2006 | 08/10/1998 | ||
| Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | 08/07/1980 | 10/06/1980 | |||
| Slovak Republic | 01/01/1995 | 01/01/1993 | 01/01/1993 | ||
| Czech Republic | 01/01/1995 | 01/01/1993 | 01/07/2002 | ||
| Romania | 01/01/1995 | 23/07/1979 | 28/04/2005 | 06/10/2020 | 01/03/2003 |
| United Kingdom | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 22/03/2006 | 07/07/1884 | 07/10/1977 |
| Russia | 22/08/2012 | 29/03/1978 | 12/08/2009 | 01/07/1965 | |
| Rwanda | 22/05/1996 | 31/08/2011 | 01/03/1984 | ||
| Saint Lucia | 01/01/1995 | 30/08/1996 | 09/06/1995 | ||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 21/02/1996 | 27/10/2005 | 09/04/1995 | ||
| San Marino | 04/03/1960 | 01/07/2009 | |||
| Holy See | 29/09/1960 | ||||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 01/01/1995 | 06/08/2002 | 29/08/1995 | ||
| Samoa | 10/05/2012 | 21/09/2013 | |||
| Sao Tome and Principe | 03/07/2008 | 12/05/1998 | |||
| Senegal | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 21/12/1963 | ||
| Serbia | 01/02/1997 | 20/08/2010 | 27/04/1992 | 01/10/2010 | |
| Seychelles | 07/11/2002 | 07/11/2002 | |||
| Sierra Leone | 23/07/1995 | 17/06/1997 | 17/06/1997 | ||
| Singapore | 01/01/1995 | 23/02/1995 | 23/02/1995 | ||
| Slovakia | 28/04/2005 | 01/07/2002 | |||
| Slovenia | 30/07/1995 | 01/03/1994 | 28/04/2005 | 25/06/1991 | 01/12/2002 |
| Sudan | 16/04/1984 | 16/04/1984 | |||
| Sri Lanka | 01/01/1995 | 26/02/1982 | 29/12/1952 | ||
| Sweden | 01/01/1995 | 17/05/1978 | 27/12/2007 | 01/07/1885 | 01/05/1978 |
| Switzerland | 01/01/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 01/07/2008 | 07/07/1884 | 07/10/1977 |
| Suriname | 01/01/1995 | 25/11/1975 | |||
| Eswatini | 01/01/1995 | 20/09/1994 | 12/05/1991 | ||
| Tajikistan | 02/03/2013 | 25/12/1991 | 25/12/1991 | ||
| Chinese Taipei | 01/01/2002 | ||||
| Tanzania | 01/01/1995 | 14/09/1999 | 16/06/1963 | ||
| Chad | 19/10/1996 | 24/01/1978 | 19/11/1963 | ||
| Thailand | 01/01/1995 | 24/12/2009 | 02/08/2008 | ||
| Togo | 31/05/1995 | 24/01/1978 | 10/09/1967 | ||
| Tonga | 27/07/2007 | 14/06/2001 | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | 01/03/1995 | 10/03/1994 | 01/08/1964 | ||
| Tunisia | 29/03/1995 | 10/12/2001 | 07/07/1884 | ||
| Turkmenistan | 25/12/1991 | 25/12/1991 | |||
| Turkey | 26/03/1995 | 01/01/1996 | 10/10/2025 | 01/11/2000 | |
| Ukraine | 16/05/2008 | 25/12/1991 | 28/04/2005 | 25/12/1991 | |
| European Union | 01/01/1995 | ||||
| Uruguay | 01/01/1995 | 18/03/1967 | |||
| Vanuatu | 24/08/2012 | ||||
| Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | 01/01/1995 | 12/09/1995 | |||
| Viet Nam | 11/01/2007 | 10/03/1993 | 08/03/1969 | ||
| Yemen | 15/02/1984 | ||||
| Zambia | 01/01/1995 | 15/11/2001 | 06/04/1965 | ||
| Zimbabwe | 05/03/1995 | 11/06/1997 | 18/04/1980 |
Same invention
A later application DU contains the same invention as the earlier application DA if the person skilled in the art can « apprehend » the claimed subject matter from the earlier application (Cass. com. of January 31, 2012, No. 11-10924, Time Sport v. Go Sport), that is to say, derive the claimed subject matter from the earlier application:
- directly (Cass. com. of November 6, 2012, No. 11-19375, Time Sport v. Intersport);
- without ambiguity (Paris Court of Appeal, Division 5, Chamber 1, October 27, 2010).
In particular, the earlier application must disclose the claimed subject matter precisely, even if this is in the description or the drawings (L612-7 IPC, paragraph 4).
If an element is not present in the earlier application, that element will not benefit from the priority (L612-7 IPC, paragraph 3).
12-month period from the first filing
General
It is only possible to claim the priority of an application within a period of 12 months from the first filing (A4.C.1 Paris Convention).
It is possible to request restoration of the right to file under priority if a legitimate reason can be demonstrated (L612-16-1 IPC, paragraph 1). This request (as well as the filing under priority) must be made within a period of 2 months from the expiration of the priority period (L612-16-1 IPC, paragraphs 2 and 3). However, the technical preparations for publication of the earlier application must not have been completed (L612-16-1 IPC, paragraph 3).
Genuine first filing
A first filing appears to be an application that has been:
- filed for the first time,
- in a State party to the Paris Convention or a member of the WTO,
- and relating to the same invention as a later application.
Fiction of first filing
Principle
By way of fiction, it is possible to consider a later application as a « first filing » (A4.C.4 Paris Convention).
To do so, the conditions of A4.C.4 Paris Convention must be met:
- The later application must:
- have the same subject matter as the earlier application (normally the genuine first filing);
- have been filed in the same Paris Convention or WTO State as the earlier application,
- The earlier application must, at the date of filing of the later application,
- have been withdrawn, abandoned or refused,
- without having been made available to public inspection,
- without leaving any rights outstanding,
- and not yet having served as the basis for claiming the right of priority.
The earlier application can then no longer serve as the basis for claiming the right of priority (A4.C.4 Paris Convention).
In this example, at the filing date of D2, no rights remain for application D1, and D1 has not served as the basis for any other priority claim.
Not withdrawn, abandoned or refused
It may happen that the earlier application, as of the filing date of the later application, has not been withdrawn, abandoned or refused.
In this case, the priority claim for the later application is not valid.
Having been made available to the public
This public availability may include, in particular:
- publication under L612-21 CPI, 1°;
- notification under L615-4 CPI to make its patent application opposable in the event of potential litigation.
Leaving rights outstanding
It is not entirely clear « which rights » are covered by this expression.
As mentioned in the European guidelines (Guidelines F-VI 1.4.1), one may consider rights that allow another application to benefit from the filing date of a later application (other than priority):
- U.S. « continuation » or « continuation-in-part » applications;
- divisional applications;
- etc.
In the case presented, application D1 is a first filing for A, B and C, while D2 is a first filing for D.
Note that FR1 will be L611-11 CPI, paragraph 2 for FR2 due to its publication (for A and B).
Earlier application outside the Paris Convention
If the earlier application is filed outside the Paris Convention/WTO, the earlier application will not be a first filing (as it will not have given rise to a right of priority, which would be contrary to the spirit of the Paris Convention) and will therefore not hinder a priority claim for a later application in a Paris Convention/WTO country.
Not having served as the basis for a priority claim
The mere fact that an application has claimed priority from the earlier application (even if no publication occurs) definitively establishes that the earlier application is a first filing.
Same applicant
If the applicant is not the same in the application (A4.C.4 Paris Convention), some rather surprising situations may arise.
Exhaustion of the right of priority
While French case law once considered that the right of priority could be exhausted (Cass. civ, 18 July 1934, JACOBSON / PAISSEAU), the notion of exhaustion of the right of priority is now rejected by the courts (Tribunal de grande instance de Paris, 3e ch., 1e sect. 28 September 2010).
(Note: in this latter decision, the court was seized of a European patent but explicitly referred to the spirit of the Paris Convention regarding the exhaustion of the right of priority).
Claiming multiple priorities
It is entirely possible to claim multiple priorities, even if they originate from different states (L612-7 CPI, paragraph 2).
“Internal” priority
Principle
The Paris Convention does not provide for the possibility of claiming the priority of a filing in the same state (A4.A.1 Paris Convention, “for the purpose of filing in the other countries”).
In light of this gap, the French legislator has provided for national provisions allowing the benefit of the filing date of an earlier French filing under certain conditions: this benefit is commonly referred to as “internal priority.”
A request for “internal priority” may be filed for a French application A (L612-3 CPI):
- if another French application B (filed by the same applicant) was filed less than 12 months earlier;
- if neither A nor B claims “unionist” priority;
- if B does not claim “internal” priority of more than 12 months with respect to A;
- if B is “publishable” (R612-25 CPI, 3°).
The request must be filed at the time of filing of the application (R612-25 CPI, 1°).
Expiration date of an application claiming the benefit of an internal priority
It is quite clear that we commonly refer to this mechanism under Article L612-3 CPI as internal priority.
But is it correct to call it that?
Indeed, we may wonder how to calculate the expiration date if an application B claims the benefit of the filing date of an application A:
- is it 20 years from B?
- considering this mechanism as a priority mechanism (as for a unionist priority) would suggest so.
- is it 20 years from A?
- the wording of Article L612-3 CPI could suggest that application B takes the filing date of A as its filing date.
In truth, doctrinal debates exist on this subject, and no case law provides clarity.
First application?
Article L612-3 CPI does not require that the application whose priority date is claimed be a first application.
Withdrawal and publication
Claiming the benefit of the filing date of a French application results in its publication at 18 months, even if that application has been withdrawn (R612-39 CPI, 5°).
This is very important because this application may be used as prior art under Article L611-11 CPI, paragraph 3.
Subsequent claim of unionist priority
We may wonder whether it is possible to claim the unionist priority of an application B benefiting from the filing date of A under Article L612-3 CPI.
This is a matter that requires careful attention.
Indeed, application B is not, a priori, a first application for certain subject matter. It is advisable to claim the priority of both A and B for safety.
Even if application A has been abandoned, it has left residual rights (i.e., the benefit of the filing date). Thus, application B should not be considered a first application (by fiction).
Translation of the priority document
The INPI may require a translation of the part of the priority document that contains the filing date and the number of the foreign application, as well as the indication of the State in which or for which this priority application was filed (Order of September 19, 1979 on the filing procedures for patent applications, Article 20).
It does not appear that the INPI may request more.
Formal requirements to be observed
See the filing requirements for more details.
Miscellaneous
Date of a claim
Principle
The date of each claim is analyzed independently of the others.
If a FR application filed at t1 claims subject-matter A and the priority filed at t0 contains subject-matter A, then claim A has an effective date of t0 (L611-11 CPI, paragraph 2, and INPI Examination Guidelines, I-C VII.4.A).
A and B
If a FR application filed at t2 claims subject-matter « A and B » and this application claims two priorities (A at t0 and B at t1), then the claim « A and B » has an effective date of t2 (filing date of the FR application).
This principle will very likely have an exception if the priority filed at t1 explicitly mentions the priority filed at t0 by indicating that the features of the two documents may be combined in a particular manner (inspired by the Guidelines F-VI 1.5).
A or B
The use of the word « or » is in fact an indication that the claim must be analyzed as two claims.
If a FR application filed at t2 claims subject-matter « A or B » and this application claims two priorities (A at t0 and B at t1), then the claim « A or B » has two effective dates:
- t1 for B;
- t0 for A.
A and/or B
A claim « A and/or B » contains 3 subject-matters: « A », « B » and « A and B ».
Withdrawal/renunciation of a priority claim
It is entirely possible to renounce or withdraw a priority (this principle, although not provided for in the code, is derived from the possibility of total or partial withdrawal of the application under Article L613-24 CPI according to INPI Examination Guidelines, I-B II.5.6).
Deadlines (only those not expired, INPI Examination Guidelines, I-B II.5.6.b) are then recalculated from the new effective date of the application.
Furthermore, publication is delayed if the withdrawal occurs before the start of the technical preparations necessary for publication (INPI Examination Guidelines, I-B II.5.6.a).
Claiming an invalid priority
Claiming a priority does not protect against the opposability of that priority application.
In the following situation, the priority application FR1 is opposable under Article L611-11 CPI, paragraph 3, against subject-matter A claimed by FR2 because the priority is not valid.
Note that even if FR1 is withdrawn before publication, this will not change anything because claiming the benefit of the filing date of a French application entails its publication as an application (Article R612-39 CPI, 5°).