Several of you have offered suggestions, serious and (in one instance)
humorous. One response, however, comes from an individual whose
credentials seem impeccable, since he works for an organization that has
used this strategy. I'm preserving his anonymity, but thank him for his
input. Meanwhile, her is (verbatim) his response:
> "Very simple: by refiling with priority, the patent expires one year
later (ie 21 years after priority date) at about no additional cost if it
is abandoned earlier. [Same principle as with US provisionals.]
The EPO indeed does not republish PCT cases already published in English,
French or German, but instead simply gives it EP numbers.
When however an EP first filing is refiled with priority, it is published
twice by the EPO because the first filed nowadays is abandoned only 6
months after publication of the search report (there is no longer any fee
or action due before that date as was the case before they changed the
rules). [Difference with US provisionals which are automatically abandoned
after one year.]"
That seems to be the story. Again thanks to all who have responded (or
whose response is en route).
Stu Kaback