2. Recommendation to grant 

If the examiner considers that the application satisfies the requirements of the EPC and is thus in order to proceed to grant, they should make a brief written report (the "votum"). As a general rule, the examiner will list in this report the reasons why, in their opinion, the subject-matter as claimed in the application is not obvious having regard to the state of the art. They should normally comment on the document reflecting the nearest prior art and the features of the claimed invention that make it patentable, although there may be exceptional circumstances where this is not necessary, e.g. where patentability is based on a surprising effect. They should also indicate how any apparently obscure but important points have ultimately been clarified, and if there are any borderline questions that the examiner has resolved in favour of the applicant, they should draw attention specifically to these.