PCT Rule 26 — Checking by, and Correcting before, the Receiving Office of Certain Elements of the International Application

26.1 Invitation under Article 14(1)(b) to Correct

The receiving Office shall issue the invitation to correct provided for in Article 14(1)(b) as soon as possible, preferably within one month from the receipt of the international application. In the invitation, the receiving Office shall invite the applicant to furnish the required correction, and give the applicant the opportunity to make observations, within the time limit under Rule 26.2 .

26.2 Time Limit for Correction

The time limit referred to in Rule 26.1 shall be two months from the date of the invitation to correct. It may be extended by the receiving Office at any time before a decision is taken.

26.2 bis Checking of Requirements under Article 14(1)(a)(i) and (ii)

• (a) For the purposes of Article 14(1)(a)(i) , if there is more than one applicant, it shall be sufficient that the request be signed by one of them.
• (b) For the purposes of Article 14(1)(a)(ii) , if there is more than one applicant, it shall be sufficient that the indications required under Rule 4.5(a)(ii) and (iii) be provided in respect of one of them who is entitled according to Rule 19.1 to file the international application with the receiving Office.

26.3 Checking of Physical Requirements under Article 14(1)(a)(v)

• (a) Where the international application is filed in a language of publication, the receiving Office shall check:
  • (i) the international application for compliance with the physical requirements referred to in Rule 11 only to the extent that compliance therewith is necessary for the purpose of reasonably uniform international publication;
  • (ii) any translation furnished under Rule 12.3 for compliance with the physical requirements referred to in Rule 11 to the extent that compliance therewith is necessary for the purpose of satisfactory reproduction.
• (b) Where the international application is filed in a language which is not a language of publication, the receiving Office shall check:
  • (i) the international application for compliance with the physical requirements referred to in Rule 11 only to the extent that compliance therewith is necessary for the purpose of satisfactory reproduction;
  • (ii) any translation furnished under Rule 12.3 or 12.4 and the drawings for compliance with the physical requirements referred to in Rule 11 to the extent that compliance therewith is necessary for the purpose of reasonably uniform international publication.

26.3 bis Invitation under Article 14(1)(b) to Correct Defects under Rule 11

The receiving Office shall not be required to issue the invitation under Article 14(1)(b) to correct a defect under Rule 11 where the physical requirements referred to in that Rule are complied with to the extent required under Rule 26.3 .

26.3 ter Invitation to Correct Defects under Article 3(4)(i)

• (a) Where the abstract or any text matter of the drawings is filed in a language which is different from the language of the description and the claims, the receiving Office shall, unless
  • (i) a translation of the international application is required under Rule 12.3(a) , or
  • (ii) the abstract or the text matter of the drawings is in the language in which the international application is to be published, invite the applicant to furnish a translation of the abstract or the text matter of the drawings into the language in which the international application is to be published. Rules 26.1 , 26.2 , 26.3 , 26.3bis , 26.5 and  29.1 shall apply mutatis mutandis.
• (b) If, on October 1, 1997, paragraph (a) is not compatible with the national law applied by the receiving Office, paragraph (a) shall not apply to that receiving Office for as long as it continues not to be compatible with that law, provided that the said Office informs the International Bureau accordingly by December 31, 1997. The information received shall be promptly published by the International Bureau in the Gazette.
• (c) Where the request does not comply with Rule 12.1(c) , the receiving Office shall invite the applicant to file a translation so as to comply with that Rule. Rules 3 , 26.1 , 26.2 , 26.5 and 29.1 shall apply mutatis mutandis.
• (d) If, on October 1, 1997, paragraph (c) is not compatible with the national law applied by the receiving Office, paragraph (c) shall not apply to that receiving Office for as long as it continues not to be compatible with that law, provided that the said Office informs the International Bureau accordingly by December 31,1997. The information received shall be promptly published by the International Bureau in the Gazette.

26.4 Procedure

A correction of the request offered to the receiving Office may be stated in a letter addressed to that Office if the correction is of such a nature that it can be transferred from the letter to the request without adversely affecting the clarity and the direct reproducibility of the sheet on to which the correction is to be transferred; otherwise, and in the case of a correction of any element of the international application other than the request, the applicant shall be required to submit a replacement sheet embodying the correction and the letter accompanying the replacement sheet shall draw attention to the differences between the replaced sheet and the replacement sheet.

26.5 Decision of the Receiving Office

The receiving Office shall decide whether the applicant has submitted the correction within the applicable time limit under Rule 26.2 , and, if the correction has been submitted within that time limit, whether the international application so corrected is or is not to be considered withdrawn, provided that no international application shall be considered withdrawn for lack of compliance with the physical requirements referred to in Rule 11 if it complies with those requirements to the extent necessary for the purpose of reasonably uniform international publication.