In G 0001/24 of 18. 6. 2025 the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO has clarified that the description and any drawings are always referred to when interpreting the claims, and not just in the case of unclarity
or ambiguity.
In the case in question, the patent in dispute was new according to the general understanding of the person skilled in the art, but, taking into account the broader definition of a term in the patent’s description , novelty could be lacking.