Main Content

URL: Location: HomePatentsLawLegal texts

Guidelines for Examination in the EPO

Guidelines for Examination - Table of Contents  
PART B GUIDELINES FOR SEARCH PART A PART C  
CHAPTER VI THE STATE OF THE ART CHAPTER V PRECLASSIFICATION (ROUTING) AND OFFICIAL CLASSIFICATION OF EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONS CHAPTER VII UNITY OF INVENTION  
4. Conflicting applications 3. Priority 5. Date of reference for documents cited in the search report; filing and priority date  
4.1 Potentially conflicting European and international applications   4.2 National earlier rights  

4.1

Potentially conflicting European and international applications

 

Generally, where the search is concluded less than eighteen months after the European or international filing date of the application (the filing date according to Art. 80 and not its claimed priority date(s)), it will not be possible at the time of the search to make a complete search for potentially conflicting European and international applications. This search therefore has to be completed at the examination stage by the Examining Division (see C-VI, 8.1).

Art. 54(3)




Top . arrow top of page

© European Patent Office . Imprint . Terms of use . Last updated: 13.12.2007