Representation of persons without domicile in Germany

(1) A person who has neither domicile, seat nor establishment in Germany may take part in proceedings governed by this Act before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office or the Patent Court, and assert the rights arising from a utility model, only where that person has appointed a lawyer or patent attorney as representative who is authorised and empowered to provide representation in proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, the Patent Court, and in civil litigation concerning the utility model, and to file criminal complaints.
(2) The place where a representative appointed under paragraph 1 has a place of business is deemed, within the meaning of section 23 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the place where the asset is located; where there is no such place of business, the place where the representative has domicile in Germany is decisive, and failing that, the place where the German Patent and Trade Mark Office has its seat.
(3) The termination, by legal transaction, of the appointment of a representative under paragraph 1 takes effect only when both that termination and the appointment of another representative are notified to the German Patent and Trade Mark Office or the Patent Court.