Article 59

1. Proceedings before the Office shall be interrupted:

(a) in the event of the death or legal incapacity of the applicant for or holder of a registered Community design or of the person authorised by national law to act on his/her behalf;

(b) in the event that the applicant for or holder of a registered Community design is, as a result of some action taken against his/her property, prevented for legal reasons from continuing the proceedings before the Office;

(c) in the event of the death or legal incapacity of the representative of an applicant for or holder of a registered Community design or of his/her being prevented for legal reasons resulting from action taken against his/her property from continuing the proceedings before the Office.

To the extent that the events referred to in point (a) of the first subparagraph do not affect the authorisation of a representative appointed under Article 78 of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002, proceedings shall be interrupted only on application by such representative.

2. When, in the cases referred to in points (a) and (b) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1, the Office has been informed of the identity of the person authorised to continue the proceedings before the Office, the Office shall communicate to such person and to any interested third parties that the proceedings shall be resumed as from a date to be fixed by the Office.

3. In the case referred to in paragraph 1(c), the proceedings shall be resumed when the Office has been informed of the appointment of a new representative of the applicant or when the Office has notified to the other parties the communication of the appointment of a new representative of the holder of the design.

If, three months after the beginning of the interruption of the proceedings, the Office has not been informed of the appointment of a new representative, it shall communicate that fact to the applicant for or holder of the registered Community design:

(a) where Article 77(2) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 is applicable, that the Community design application will be deemed to be withdrawn if the information is not submitted within two months after that communication is notified; or

(b) where Article 77(2) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 is not applicable, that the proceedings will be resumed with the applicant for or holder as from the date on which that communication is notified.

4. The time limits, other than the time limit for paying the renewal fees, in force as regards the applicant for or holder of the Community design at the date of interruption of the proceedings, shall begin again as from the day on which the proceedings are resumed.