If a supplementary European search report is not to be dispensed with (see B-II, 4.3.1), the supplementary European search is carried out in all of the EPO's search documentation. It is left to the search division's judgement whether a limitation as to the search documents is chosen. No precise limits can at present be set to other supplementary European searches since the documentation and search practices of other International Searching Authorities have not been fully harmonised in respect of the EPO.
As a general rule, the EPO tries to avoid any superfluous work and duplication of work and relies on the efficiency and quality of the international searches to the largest extent possible. If the international search report has not been drawn up upon entry into the European phase, the EPO will wait until it has been drawn up and is available to it before processing the application further. The EPO as designated Office requests the International Searching Authority or the Supplementary International Searching Authority to supply, together with the international search report, copies of the documents cited therein (Art. 20(3) PCT, see also Rule 44.3(a) PCT or Rule 45bis.7(c) PCT). When documents are cited that are not in one of the official languages of the EPO and the search division needs a translation into one of these languages, it provides this itself (e.g. a patent family member in an official language of the EPO or, alternatively, an abstract of the document in an official language of the EPO, see B‑VI, 6.2), unless it is able to obtain it from any other source, e.g. the applicant or the International Searching Authority.
Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/b_ii_4_3_2.htm
Date retrieved: 17 May 2021
12 references found.
Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.EPO Guidelines - A Formalities Examination
EPO Guidelines - B Search
XGL B VI 6.2 Citation of documents corresponding to documents not available or not published in one of the official EPO languages