Although the EPC does not require the European search report to identify the areas of technology searched, this information is included in the report in the form of a list of IPC symbols up to the sub-class level.

Where the search report is entirely or partly based on a previous search made for an application relating to a cognate subject, the sections of the documentation consulted for this previous search are also identified in the report as having been consulted for the application in question. This is done by indicating the appropriate IPC symbols.