22U.K.In section 78 of the M1Patents Act 1977 (effect of filing an application for a European patent (UK)), for subsection (5) (effect of withdrawal of application, &c.) substitute—
“(5)Subsections (1) to (3) above shall cease to apply to an application for a European patent (UK), except as mentioned in subsection (5A) below, if—
(a)the application is refused or withdrawn or deemed to be withdrawn, or
(b)the designation of the United Kingdom in the application is withdrawn or deemed to be withdrawn,
but shall apply again if the rights of the applicant are re-established under the European Patent Convention, as from their re-establishment.
(5A)The occurrence of any of the events mentioned in subsection (5)(a) or (b) shall not affect the continued operation of section 2(3) above in relation to matter contained in an application for a European patent (UK) which by virtue of that provision has become part of the state of the art as regards other inventions.”.
Marginal Citations