Rule 48

1. The European patent application shall not contain:

a) statements or other matter contrary to “ordre public” or morality;

b) statements disparaging the products or processes of any third party or the merits or validity of the applications or patents of any such party. Mere comparisons with the prior art shall not be considered disparaging per se;

c) any statement or other matter obviously irrelevant or unnecessary under the circumstances.

2. If the application contains matter prohibited under paragraph 1(a), the European Patent Office may omit such matter from the application as published, indicating the place and number of words or drawings omitted.

3. If the application contains statements referred to in paragraph 1(b), the European Patent Office may omit them from the application as published, indicating the place and number of words omitted. Upon request, the European Patent Office shall furnish a copy of the passages omitted.