GL-PCT A III 9.8 Refund of additional examination fees and, where applicable, the protest fee

If the Review Panel finds that a protest was entirely justified, the additional examination fees and the protest fee will be refunded.[Rule 68.3(c); (e); ]

If it finds that the protest was justified only in part, the corresponding additional examination fees will be refunded, but not the protest fee (see GL/PCT‑EPO C‑V, 5.2).

GL-PCT A III 9.7 Refund of the preliminary examination fee

Where the international application or the demand for international preliminary examination is withdrawn before examination has commenced and within 30 months from the priority date, or where the demand is considered not to have been submitted, 100% of the fee for international preliminary examination is refunded.[Rule 58.3; 90bis.4(a); OJ EPO 2017, A115;

GL-PCT A III 9.6 Refund of the handling fee

Where the demand for international preliminary examination is withdrawn before it has been sent by the IPEA/EP to the IB, or where the demand is considered not to have been submitted, 100% of the handling fee is refunded.[Rule 57.4; ]

GL-PCT A III 9.5 Refund of the review fee

If the Review Panel finds that the lack of unity objection was not justified, the review fee is refunded to the applicant (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑XII, 10.4).[Rule 45bis.6(d)(iii); ]

GL-PCT A III 9.4 Refund of the supplementary search fee

The EPO as SISA will refund the supplementary search fee where,[Rule 45bis.3(e); OJ EPO 2017, A115; OJ EPO 2020, A68; ]

– before it has started the supplementary search, the supplementary search request is considered not to have been submitted; or

–

GL-PCT A III 9.3 Refund of additional search fees and, where applicable, the protest fee

If the Review Panel finds that a protest was entirely justified, the additional search fees and the protest fee will be refunded.[Rule 40.2(c); (e); ]

If it finds that the protest was justified only in part, the corresponding additional search fees will be refunded, but not the protest fee (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑VII, 7.2).

GL-PCT A III 9.2.1.3 No refund

No refund is due[OJ EPO 2019, A5; ]

(a)where the subject-matter claimed in the later application represents an invention different from that searched in the earlier application, or

(b)the legal requirements fo

GL-PCT A III 9.2.1.2 Partial refund

The "partial refund" level applies where the EPO can make partial use of the earlier search report for drawing up the international search report.[OJ EPO 2019, A5; ]

This occurs, in particular, where

(a)the claims of the later application are broader than those of the earlier application and this broadening represents a further generalisation of the s

GL-PCT A III 9.2.1.1 Full refund

The "full refund" level applies where the EPO can make full use of the earlier search report for drawing up the international search report.[OJ EPO 2019, A5; ]

This occurs, in particular, where the claims of the earlier and the later application are identical or where the claims of the later application are limited with respect to those of the earlier application, this limitation being due to

(

GL-PCT A III 9.2.1 Examples of refunds

9.2.1.1 Full refund

9.2.1.2 Partial refund

9.2.1.3 No refund