GL-PCT A III 9.2 Refund of the (additional) international search fee

The international search fee is refunded where[Rule 16.2; 16.3; Rule 41; OJ EPO 2019, A5; OJ EPO 2017, A115; OJ EPO 2020, A68; ]
– no date of filing can be accorded; or 
– the international application is withdrawn or considered withdrawn before its transmittal to the ISA; or 
– the international application is withdrawn or considered withdrawn before the start of the international search; or
– the EPO can base the ISR partly or entirely on an earlier search that it has performed on an application whose priority is validly claimed for the international application. The (additional) search fee paid will be refunded in part or in full depending upon the extent to which the EPO benefits from the earlier search. See also GL/PCT‑EPO B‑IV, 1.1.
The EPO acting as ISA decides whether the requirements are met and, where applicable, refunds the applicable amount. No refund is made for any search other than a search carried out by the EPO on an earlier application from which the right of priority is validly claimed.
The cases referred to below are intended to illustrate the most common situations:
9.2.1 Examples of refunds

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelinespct/e/a_iii_9_2.htm

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

10 references found.

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EPO PCT GL - A Formalities Examination

EPO PCT GL - B Search

PCT Implementing Rules

Offical Journal of the EPO