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There are several reasons why the EPO as ISA may refuse or will not be able to perform a (full) international search. Such refusal may relate to e.g. the subject-matter of the application (see point 254), non-compliance with requirements regarding the description, claims or drawings of the application (see point 257), missing sequence listings (see point 260) or lack of unity of invention (see point 262 ff).
With regard to the (further) procedure in the international phase, it is noted that if a claim relates to an invention in respect of which no ISR has been established, the EPO as IPEA will not carry out international preliminary examination in respect of that claim (see point 382). This also applies if amendments and/or arguments under Article 34 PCT have been filed.