List of sections amended in 2026 revision

GENERAL PART

General Part, 1

Clarification that all references to persons in the Guidelines are gender-neutral

General Part, 1.2.1

New subsection on relationship between the PCT‑EPO Guidelines and the RO Guidelines

General Part, 1.3

New subsection on further sources of information

General Part, 1.4

New subsection on use of artificial intelligence

PART A

A‑V, 1.2

Update on processing of colour drawings, OJ EPO 2025, A57

A‑VI, 2.2

New subsection on closure of national routes

PART B

B‑VI, 2

New Rules 33 and 64 PCT

PART E

E‑III, 1

Addition of Bahrain as one of EPO’s PPH partner offices

PART G

G‑IV, 1

G‑IV, 6

G‑IV, 6.1

G‑VI, 1

G‑VI, 3

Changes to reflect new Rules 33 and 64 PCT

GENERAL PART

General Part, 1.2

New subsection based on content moved from former General Part, 2.4

General Part, 1.2.2

New subsection based on content moved from former General Part, 2.3

General Part, 2.3

Deletion of sections, content moved to new General Part, 1.2.2

General Part, 2.4

Deletion of sections, content moved to new General Part, 1.2

General Part, 3

Deletion of redundant information

PART A

A‑1.2

Deletion of content already present in General Part

A‑II, 1.2.1

A‑II, 3.1

A‑IV, 1.2

Update to reflect decommissioning of EPO Online Filing (OLF)

A‑II, 6.2

Clarification that correction has no impact on international filing fee

A‑III, 4.2

Addition of information that amount of international filing fee depends on the total number of sheets

A‑III, 4.4.2

Update to reflect renaming of “MyEPO Portfolio” to “My EPO”

A‑III, 8.2

Restructured for better readability

A‑III, 9.2

Alignment with WIPO‑EPO Agreement, Annex D‑II

A‑III, 9.2.1

Update to reflect OJ EPO 2025, A26 concerning refund of the international search fee by the EPO acting as ISA

A‑VI, 1.7

Update to reflect OJ EPO 2025, A52 concerning electronic filing of documents

A‑VI, 1.8

Update to reflect OJ EPO 2025, A3, A7 and A8 concerning the issuing of electronic priority documents

A‑VI, 4

Clarification regarding designation of inventor

A‑VII, 2.3.2

Addition of reference to VII, 3.1

A‑VIII, 1.2

Updates regarding representation by an agent

A‑VIII, 3.2

Clarification regarding signature requirements

PART B

B‑I, 2

Addition of information regarding prospective examining divisions

B‑II, 1.1

Deletion of redundant information

B‑IV, 1.1

Deletion of information regarding validity of priority

B‑VII, 1

Addition of cross-references to Part B and C

B‑VII, 2

Addition of information regarding payment of additional fees by the applicant in the case of a non-unitary application (EPO as ISA), even if all inventions have been searched in earlier applications

B‑VII, 4

Alignment with EPC Guidelines, Part B‑VII, 1.2.2

B‑VIII, 2

Addition of information regarding use of an apparatus in methods of treatment or diagnosis performed on the human or animal body

B‑VIII, 3.6

Addition of information regarding combinations of non unity and incomplete search

B‑XI, 3.4

Addition of information regarding prospective examining divisions

B‑XI, 4.1

Addition of information regarding international applications with a filing date later than the date on which the priority period expired

B‑XI, 4.2

Clarification regarding “P” documents irrespective of whether the priority is valid or not

PART C

C‑II, 2

Addition of exception for Uruguay

C‑III, 3

Addition of information regarding replacement sheets that have formal defects

PART E

E‑IV, 2

Addition of reference to legal remedies under the EPC Guidelines

E‑VI

Deletion of phrase relating to ePCT

PART F

F‑IV, 4.1

Addition of reference to ISPE Guidelines

F‑IV, 4.2

Addition of reference to EPC Guidelines

PART G

G‑IV, 6.2.1

G‑VI, 4

Addition of reference to principles laid down in the EPC Guidelines in the light of G 1/23

G‑IV, 6.4

Addition of information regarding multimedia disclosures

PART H

H‑I, 5

Clarification regarding amended description

H‑III, 7

Clarification regarding differences between the title in the request form and in the description

H‑IV, 1

Clarification regarding cases where the EPO is not the RO

H‑IV, 2.1

Addition of information regarding cases where the EPO is not the competent authority with respect to requests for rectification

GENERAL PART

General Part, 2.3

PART A

A‑II, 1.1 ; A‑II, 1.2; A‑II, 1.2.2; A‑II, 1.3; A‑II, 1.5; A‑III, 3; A‑III, 5.3; A‑III, 7.4; A‑III, 8.4; A‑III, 9; A‑III, 9.2.1.1; A‑III, 9.2.1.2; A‑III, 9.2.1.3; A‑IV, 3; A‑VI, 2.1; A‑VI, 3.2; A‑VIII, 1.10; A‑VIII, 1.13

PART B

B‑III, 2.11; B‑VII, 6.3; B‑X, 9.2; B‑X, 11.1; B‑XI, 7; B‑XII, 9; B‑XII, 10.3

PART C

C‑III, 5.3; C‑VIII, 2.1

PART E

E‑II

PART F

F‑II, 4.1; F‑II, 4.9; F‑IV, 3.4; F‑V, 1

PART H

H‑IV, 2.4