How and where is the demand for international preliminary examination to be filed?
The demand for international preliminary examination must be made using the prescribed form (PCT/IPEA/401), downloaded from the WIPO website,[ 29 ] copies of which are also available free of charge from all receiving Offices, the IB and the EPO.
The demand and any further document relating to the Chapter II PCT procedure (e.g. amendments and/or arguments filed under Article 34 PCT) must be submitted to the EPO as IPEA and not to the receiving Office or the IB. The EPO as IPEA will indicate the date of receipt on the demand and promptly notify the applicant of that date.
WIPO PCT Guide 10.006
The demand may be filed with the EPO as IPEA direct, by post, by fax or online (see points 2.2.003-2.2.033). As of 1 November 2016, the ePCT service may be used for online filing of the demand under PCT Chapter II directly with the EPO as IPEA, and also for indicating the payment of fees related to the demand.
If the demand is filed by fax, no written confirmation needs to be filed unless the applicant is invited by the EPO as IPEA to do so (see point 2.2.033).
OJ 2007, Spec.Ed.3, A.3 (Art. 3 and 7 of the Decision)
Source: http://www.epo.org/applying/international/guide-for-applicants/html/e/ga_c4_1_6.html
Date retrieved: 17 May 2021