The President of the EPO determines all file inspection arrangements, including the circumstances in which an administrative fee is payable (see the Decisions of the President of the EPO dated 6 June 2003, OJ 7/2003, 370 and 371).

Other forms of file inspection, e.g. by furnishing paper copies, are available on request. No particular form is prescribed for the request, except that it must be filed in writing with the EPO at one of its filing offices. The EPO offers a form via its website on the Internet. The request should contain information about the payment of the fee. Requests filed by facsimile (see IX, 2.5) or submitted through the Internet will be processed without confirmation.

A fee, if any, falls due when the request is received. The method of payment and date on which payment is deemed to have been made are dealt with in the Rules relating to Fees (see XI). Where the administrative fee has been duly paid, it will not be refunded.