2. Responsibility for formalities examination 

The matters covered in this part are intended for EPO formalities staff at all sites (The Hague, Munich and Berlin) and in particular for the Receiving Section, which is specifically responsible under the EPC for ensuring that the formal requirements for European patent applications are met. Once an application is transferred to the examining division, the latter accepts responsibility for the formalities of the application, although it should be understood that the term "examining division" is intended to include the formalities officer to whom this work is entrusted (see the decisions of the President of the EPO dated 12 December 2013, OJ EPO 2014, A6, 23 November 2015, OJ EPO 2015, A104, and 14 June 2020, OJ EPO 2020, A80).