GL C II 5 Copy of the search results on the priority or priorities

Where the EPO notes, at the time the examining division assumes responsibility, that a copy of the results of a search on the claimed priority or priorities as referred to in Rule 141(1) has not been filed by the applicant and is not deemed to be duly filed under Rule 141(2) (see A‑III, 6.12), it invites applicants to file, within a period of two months, the copy or a statement that the results of the search referred to in

GL C II 4 Designation fee(s), extension and validation fees

Under Rule 39(1), the designation fee(s) can be validly paid up to the same time limit as the examination fee and therefore will be generally paid at the same time as the examination fee.

GL C II 3.3 The invitation under Rule 70a(1)

Under Rule 70a(1) the applicant is invited to respond to the ESOP within the period referred to in Rule 70(1) or, where applicable, within the period referred to in Rule 70(2) (see B‑XI, 8) unless the applicant has waived the communication under Rule 70(2) (see C‑VI, 3).

Where the request for examination (including pay

GL C II 3.2 Response to PCT actions prepared by the EPO

For Euro-PCT applications where the EPO acted as the International Searching Authority (ISA) and, where a demand under Art. 31 PCT was filed, also as the International Preliminary Examining Authority, or as the authority specified for supplementary international search, the applicant will already have responded to a negative WO‑ISA, IPER or supplementary international search report prepared by the EPO (unless the communication under Rule 161 was issued before 1 April 2010 – see

GL C II 3.1 Response to the search opinion

Following receipt of the search report and search opinion, and prior to the first communication from the examining division, the applicant must (subject to certain exceptions) respond to the search opinion, by filing amendments to the description, claims or drawings and/or filing observations on the objections raised in the search opinion (see B‑XI, 8, for details, in particular as to the exceptions where no reply is required).

GL C II 3 Response filed before first communication in examination

3.1 Response to the search opinion

3.2 Response to PCT actions prepared by the EPO

3.3 The invitation under Rule 70a(1)

GL C II 2 Allocation of the application

The dossier will normally be allocated to an examining division responsible for the examination of applications in the technical field in which the particular application has been classified by the search division or ISA which carried out the search.

GL C II 1.3 Invention to be examined

It is to be noted that where the search report and the search opinion have been drawn up to cover several inventions lacking unity, the applicant is free to select the invention to be examined in the application under consideration (see also C‑III, 3.1).[Rule 36; ]

The others will be subject to objections of lack of unity and may be divided out according to Rule 36 (see C‑III, 3.2, and

GL C II 1.2 Euro-PCT applications

If the application has proceeded via the PCT (Euro-PCT application), the six-month period under Rule 70(1) begins with the publication of the PCT search report or the declaration under Art. 17(2)(a) PCT.

GL C II 1.1 Confirmation of the intention to proceed further with the application

If applicants have filed a request for examination before the search report has been transmitted to them, the EPO will invite them to confirm, within a six-month period, that they desire to proceed further with their application. This six-month period is calculated from the mention of the publication of the European search report in the European Patent Bulletin.