Oral proceedings by videoconference without consent of all parties

During a general emergency (here: COVID-19 pandemic) impairing the parties' possibilities to attend in-person oral proceedings at the EPO premises, the conduct of oral proceedings before the Board of Appeal in the form of a videoconference is compatible with the EPC even if not all of the parties to the proceedings have given their consent to the conduct of oral proceedings in the form of a videoconference. Irrespective of this, in-person oral proceedings should generally be the usual form of oral proceedings, which may only be denied to the parties for good reasons (EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal, 16/07/2021, G 1/21).