If the sequence listing of an international application is not available in electronic form and/or does not comply with the standard provided in Annex C to the Administrative Instructions (WIPO Standard ST.25), the EPO as ISA will invite the applicant to furnish the sequence listing in electronic text format and to pay a late furnishing fee within a non-extendable time limit of one month from the date of the invitation.. Extensive information is provided in athe Notice from the EPO of 18 October 2013.
If, within the time limit set, the applicant has not submitted the sequence listing in the required electronic form and format and paid the late furnishing fee, the EPO as ISA will carry out the international search without the sequence listing to the extent that a meaningful search can be carried out. This means that in many cases no or only an incomplete search is performed. This also has consequences for the international preliminary examination procedure before the EPO as IPEA (see point 389390).
Source: http://www.epo.org/applying/international/guide-for-applicants/html/e/ga_c_iii_7.html
Date retrieved: 24 November 2017