The main body of these Guidelines comprises the following five parts:

Part A: Guidelines for Formalities Examination;

Part B: Guidelines for Search;

Part C: Guidelines for Substantive Examination;

Part D: Guidelines for Opposition Procedure; and

Part E: Guidelines on General Procedural Matters.

Parts A and C deal with the requirements and procedure for formalities and substantive examination, respectively, regardless of the stage in the procedure. Thus, in particular, Part A covers formalities examination in grant and opposition proceedings.

Part E deals with procedural matters relevant to several or all of the stages in procedure at the EPO.

Hereinafter, a summary table of updates, together defining the complete Guidelines, is given:

The following notices relating to this and other recent updates have been published in the Official Journal of the European Patent Office:

It will be noted that each Part of the Guidelines is divided into Chapters, each sub-divided into numbered sections which are further sub-divided into paragraphs. Cross-references to other paragraphs within the same Part are in a standard form quoting in each case the Chapter, section and paragraph number (thus, e.g., III, 6.5 means paragraph 6.5 in section 6 of Chapter III). If the cross-reference is to another Part of the Guidelines it also includes the relevant letter of that Part (thus, e.g., C-III, 6.5 would be used if it were desired to refer to paragraph 6.5 of Chapter III of Part C in, say, Part A).

Marginal references to articles and rules without further identification indicate the Articles or Rules of the European Patent Convention which provides authority for what is stated. It is believed that such references avoid the need for extensive quotation from the EPC itself.

It goes without saying that whenever "his" or "he" is used in relation to examiner, applicant, inventor, etc., this should be understood as "her or his" and "she or he", respectively.