1、Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office March 2023 2024 March 2024 Guidelines for Examination in the EPO List of Contents a List of Contents General Part Contents a 1.Preliminary remarks 1 2.Explanatory notes 1 3.General remarks 4 4.Work at the EPO 6 5.Summary of the processing of a

2、pplications and patents at the EPO 6 6.Contracting states to the EPC 7 7.Extension to and validation in states not party to the EPC 8 8.Unitary Patent protection 8 Part A Guidelines for Formalities Examination Contents a Chapter I Introduction I-1 Chapter II Filing of applications and examination on

3、 filing II-1 Chapter III Examination of formal requirements III-1 Chapter IV Special provisions IV-1 Chapter V Communications concerning formal deficiencies;amendment of application;correction of errors V-1 Chapter VI Publication of application;request for examination and transmission of the dossier

4、 to examining division VI-1 Chapter VII Languages VII-1 List of Contents b Guidelines for Examination in the EPO March 2024 Chapter VIII Common provisions VIII-1 Chapter IX Drawings IX-1 Chapter X Fees X-1 Chapter XI Inspection of files;communication of information contained in files;consultation of

5、 the European Patent Register;issue of certified copies XI-1 Part B Guidelines for Search Contents a Chapter I Introduction I-1 Chapter II General II-1 Chapter III Characteristics of the search III-1 Chapter IV Search procedure and strategy IV-1 Chapter V Preclassification,IPC and CPC classification

6、 of European patent applications V-1 Chapter VI The state of the art at the search stage VI-1 Chapter VII Unity of invention VII-1 Chapter VIII Subject-matter to be excluded from the search VIII-1 Chapter IX Search documentation IX-1 Chapter X Search report X-1 Chapter XI The search opinion XI-1 Mar