INTRODUCTION

Part E contains guidelines for those procedural steps in respect of the examination of European patent applications and patents which without major variations may, insofar as the EPC permits, occur at a number of stages in the procedure. Attention is also drawn to Art. 125, which states: "In the absence of procedural provisions in this Convention, the EPO shall take into account the principles of procedural law generally recognised in the Contracting States".

With the exception of Chapter IX, Part E does not apply to international applications which the EPO processes under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), unless stated otherwise.