2. Examination practice 

In carrying out the international preliminary examination, there are two general points the examiner must bear in mind. Firstly, any exclusion from patentability applies only to the extent to which the application relates to the excluded subject-matter as such. Secondly, the subject-matter of the claim should be considered as a whole, in order to decide whether the claimed subject-matter has a technical characterSection GL/EPO G‑II, 2 in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO applies mutatis mutandis.