▁file ▁observations ▁regarding ▁the ▁pat ent ability ▁of ▁the ▁in vention ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁the ▁application ▁( d uring ▁exam ination ▁proceed ings ) ▁or ▁pat ent ▁( d uring ▁opposition ▁proceed ings ). ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁an ▁inter v ener ▁however , ▁a ▁person ▁fil ing ▁observations ▁during ▁opposition ▁proceed ings ▁does ▁not ▁become ▁party ▁to ▁the ▁proceed ings . ▁This ▁not ably ▁means ▁that ▁such ▁person ▁does ▁not ▁ac quire ▁the ▁" bundle ▁of ▁proced ural ▁rights " ▁created ▁" in ▁respect ▁of ▁the ▁oppon ent ", ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁be ▁heard ▁before ▁any ▁decision ▁is ▁taken . ▁Observ ations ▁by ▁third ▁parties , ▁which ▁must ▁be ▁file d ▁in ▁writing , ▁may ▁be ▁file d ▁by ▁post ▁or ▁online . ▁According ▁to ▁Board ▁of ▁App e al ▁ 3 . 3 . 0 8 , ▁the ▁observations ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁signed ▁" in ▁order ▁to ▁allow ▁an ▁identification ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁party " ▁and , ▁unless ▁" ado pt ed ▁by ▁a ▁party ▁to ▁the ▁proceed ings ▁as ▁its ▁own " ▁or ▁by ▁the ▁compet ent ▁organ ▁of ▁the ▁E PO ▁of ▁its ▁own ▁motion , ▁" anonymous ▁third ▁party ▁observations ▁are ▁to ▁be ▁dis reg arded ▁altogether ." ▁ ▁Statistics , ▁costs ▁and ▁duration ▁Over all , ▁about ▁ 5 . 5 - 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁pat ents ▁granted ▁by ▁the ▁European ▁Pat ent ▁Office ▁are ▁opposed . ▁Of ▁those , ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 0 – 2 0