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GL-PCT F IV 3.6 Alternatives in a claim

Section F‑IV, 3.7, in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO applies mutatis mutandis.[GL/ISPE 5.18; ]

For the assessment of unity of invention of claims referring to alternatives, see GL/PCT‑EPO F‑V, 4,

GL-PCT F IV 3.5 Subject‑matter of a dependent claim

Section F‑IV, 3.6, in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO applies mutatis mutandis.

GL-PCT F IV 3.4 Arrangement of claims

Section F‑IV, 3.5, in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO applies mutatis mutandis.[GL/ISPE 5.17; ]

The EPO allows multiple dependent claims, provided that they do not detract from the clarity of the claims as a whole and that their arrangement does not create obscurity in the definition of the subject-matter to be protected.

GL-PCT F IV 3.3 Independent and dependent claims

Section F‑IV, 3.4, in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO applies mutatis mutandis.[Rules 6.4(a); 13.4; GL/ISPE 5.15; 5.16;

GL-PCT F IV 3.2 Number of independent claims

The PCT has no provision equivalent to Rule 43(2) EPC. However, plural independent claims in one category which comply with the requirement of unity of invention (see GL/PCT‑EPO F‑V, 2) may be objected to under Art. 6 if they result in a lack of clarity and conciseness (see also GL/PCT‑EPO B‑VIII, 4).

GL-PCT F IV 3.1 Categories

See ISPE Guidelines 5.12.

For activities practised upon living things, see GL/PCT‑EPO G‑II, 4.2 and GL/PCT‑EPO G‑II, 5.4, which relate to subject-matter that may be excluded from search or preliminary examination.