Ordre public

By exception, inventions whose publication or implementation would likely offend against public morality cannot be the subject of a patent.

This does not mean that these inventions are not patentable (i.e. do not meet the conditions for patentability), but that patent law should not encourage their development for moral reasons.

Indeed, the word "mœurs" comes from the Latin "mores," which refers to habits of life. Mœurs, or morals, are considered good when they align with a morally upright way of life. The concept of "bonnes mœurs" (good morals) thus entails a value judgment based on the moral standards of a particular social group at a specific time and place.