53. Confidential documents
(1) Where a person files a document at the Patent Office or sends it to an examiner or the comptroller, any person may request that the document be treated as a confidential document.
(2) The comptroller must refuse any request where it relates to-
- (a) a Patents Form; or
- (b) any document filed in connection with a request under section 74A.
(3) A request to treat a document as confidential must-
- (a) be made before the end of the period of 14 days beginning immediately after1 the date on which the document was-
- (i) filed at the Patent Office, or
- (ii) received by the comptroller, an examiner or the Patent Office; and
- (b) include reasons for the request.
(4) Where a request has been made under paragraph (1), the document must be treated as confidential until the comptroller refuses that request or gives a direction under paragraph (5).
(5) If it appears to the comptroller that there is good reason for the document to remain confidential, he may direct that the document shall be treated as a confidential document; otherwise he must refuse the request made under paragraph (1).
(6) But where the comptroller believes there is no longer a good reason for the direction under paragraph (5) to continue in force, he must revoke it.
(7) In this rule references to a document include part of a document.