Supplemental sheet A is prepared by the examiner before publication of the application, regardless of whether this is with the search report (A1 publication) or without it (A2 publication). The information contained in supplemental sheet A is needed for the publication of the application.

On supplemental sheet A, the examiner indicates:

In exceptional cases, the examiner may change the abstract after the search has been carried out. However, if this is done after the application has been published A2, supplemental sheet A is not reissued;

The European Patent Bulletin is published in all three official languages of the EPO according to Art. 14(8)(a) and, according to Art. 129(a), contains the entries made in the Register of European Patents, which, according to Rule 92(1)(c), must contain the title of the invention. Consequently, the title is required in all three official languages of the EPC.

The above applies equally to applications published with the search report (A1 publication) and those published without it (A2 publication). In the case of an A2 publication, supplemental sheet A further contains the official classification of the application (see X, 5). In case of an A1 publication, the official classification appears only on the search report (Rule 44(6)).

Supplemental sheet A also indicates the nature of the publication to which it relates (A1 or A2).

In the case of a supplementary search report in respect of an international application, supplemental sheet A should be marked A4. The examiner does not determine the title, abstract or figure to be published with the abstract, since these have already been determined by the International Searching Authority according to Rules 37.2,  38.2(a) and 8.2 PCT, respectively.