4. Further opportunity to submit amendments 

Together with the reply to the WO‑ISA, the WO-IPEA or the minutes of a telephone consultation, the applicant has, subject to certain exceptions (see C‑VII, 1(d)), the opportunity to submit (further) amendments under Art. 34 to the claims, description and/or drawings.

Subsequently filed amendments and/or arguments will be taken into account by the EPO as IPEA only if they are received before the point at which preparation of a written opinion or the IPER has actually started.

For further details, see C‑IV, 1 and C‑IV, 2 and subsections, and C‑VII, 1.