3.11 Subject-matter excluded from search 

The search division can decide to exclude certain subject-matter from its search. It may do this where the subject-matter falls under one of the exceptions to patentability laid down in the EPC or cannot be considered susceptible to industrial application (see B‑VIII, 1 and B-VIII, 2). It may also do this where the application falls so short of other EPC requirements that it is impossible to carry out a meaningful search on some or all of the claims or part of a claim (see B‑VIII, 3) or where the application does not comply with Rule 43(2) (see B‑VIII, 4).