GL G IV 7.5.6 Technical details and general remarks

When printing a web page, care must be taken that the complete URL is clearly legible. The same applies to the relevant publication date on a web page.
It has to be borne in mind that publication dates may be given in different formats, especially in either the European format dd/mm/yyyy, the US format mm/dd/yyyy or the ISO format yyyy/mm/dd. Unless the format is explicitly indicated, it will be impossible to distinguish between the European format and the US format for days 1-12 of each month.
If a publication date is close to the relevant priority date, the time zone of publication may be crucial to interpret a publication date.
The examiner must always indicate the date on which the web page was retrieved. When citing internet disclosures, the examiner must explain the prior-art status of the document, e.g.:
(i)how and where the publication date was obtained (for example, that the eight digits in the URL represent the date of archiving in the format yyyymmdd), and
(ii)any other relevant information (for example, where two or more related documents are cited, how they are related, indicating for instance that following link 'xyz' on the first document leads to the second document). 

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/g_iv_7_5_6.htm

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

3 references found.

Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

EPO PCT GL - G Patentability