The abstract is initially supplied by the applicant subject to the exception provided for under Rule 38.2. The examiner conducting the main international search has the task of determining its definitive content, which will normally be published with the application. In doing this, he should consider the abstract in relation to the application as filed. If the search report is published later than the application, the abstract published with the application will be the one resulting from the procedure referred to in ISPE Guidelines 15.40.[Rules 8; 44.2; ]

This procedure does not apply to supplementary international searches for which the EPO is SISA, because the main ISA has already provided the publication data (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑XII, 2).[GL/ISPE 16.34; ]

See also ISPE Guidelines 16.41.