Rule 112

1. Where, in the course of the examination pursuant to Article 149(1) of the Regulation, the Office finds that pursuant to Article 38(1) of the Regulation, the trade mark which is subject to the territorial extension to the European Community is ineligible for protection for all or any part of the goods or services for which it has been registered by the International Bureau, the Office shall issue an ex officio notification of provisional refusal pursuant to Article 5(1), and (2) of the Madrid Protocol and Rule 17(1) of the Common Regulations to the International Bureau.
Where the holder of the international registration is obliged to be represented in proceedings before the Office pursuant to Article 88(1) of the Regulation, the notification shall contain an invitation to appoint a representative within the meaning of Article 89(1) of the Regulation.
The notification of provisional refusal shall state the reasons on which it is based, and shall specify a time limit within which the holder of the international registration may submit his observations and, if appropriate, must appoint a representative.
The time limit shall start on the day on which the Office issues the provisional refusal.

2. [deleted, editor IP-PorTal]

3. Where, in the course of the examination pursuant to Article 149(1) of the Regulation, the Office finds that the international registration designating the European Community does not contain the indication of a second language pursuant to Rule 126 of the present Regulation and Rule 9(5)(g) (ii) of the Common Regulations, the Office shall issue an ex officio notification of provisional refusal pursuant to Article 5(1), and (2) of the Madrid Protocol and Rule 17(1) of the Common Regulations to the International Bureau. Paragraph 1, second, third and fourth sentence, shall apply.

4. Where the holder of the international registration fails to overcome the ground for refusing protection within the time limit or to comply with the condition laid down in paragraph 2 or, if appropriate, to appoint a representative or to indicate a second language, the Office will take a decision refusing the protection in whole or for a part of the goods and services for which the international registration is registered. The decision shall be subject to appeal in accordance with Article 57 to 63 of the Regulation.

5. Where, until the start of the opposition period referred to in Article 151(2) of the Regulation, the Office has not issued an ex officio notification of provisional refusal pursuant to paragraph 1, the Office shall send a statement of grant of protection to the International Bureau, indicating that the examination of absolute grounds of refusal pursuant to Article 38 of the Regulation has been completed but that the international registration is still subject to oppositions or observations of third parties.