5.2 Intermediate documents 

The search division takes documents published between the priority date and the filing date of the searched application into account and labels them as such in the search report (see B‑X, 9.2.4). For identifying what documents can be considered when an application has more than one priority date, the earliest date applies. When selecting which documents to cite in the search report, the search division refers to these dates and preferably chooses a document published before the priority date. For example, if there are two equally relevant documents, one published before the priority date and the other after that date but before the filing date, the search division will choose the former (see B‑IV, 3.1, second paragraph).