Chapter X – Search report
1. General
The results of the search will be recorded in an international search report. A number of different possible limitations of the scope of the search report exist. These are:
(i)a declaration issued instead of the search report according to Art. 17(2)(a) (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑VIII);
(ii)an incomplete search report according to Art. 17(2)(b) (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑VIII);
(iii)a partial international search report due to a finding of a lack of unity according to Art. 17(3)(a) and Rule 13; and
(iv)an incomplete search report due to missing sequence listings (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑VIII, 3.2).
The Search Division is responsible for drawing up the international search report (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑I, 2 and subsections).
This chapter contains the information which is necessary to enable the examiner to correctly prepare the search report.
A search report must contain no matter, in particular no expressions of opinion, reasoning, arguments or explanations, other than that required by the Form or referred to in GL/PCT‑EPO B‑X, 9.2.8. However, this does not apply to the written opinion (see GL/PCT‑EPO B‑XI, 3).