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§ 710 Notification and Publication of Receiving Offices' Requirements and Practices - ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS UNDER THE PCT
§ 710 Notification and Publication of Receiving Offices' Requirements and Practices
(a) A notification by a receiving Office to the International Bureau under Rule 89.1(d) that it is prepared to receive international applications in electronic form shall indicate, where applicable:
A receiving Office is, of course, obliged to notify the International Bureau of the matters referred to in Section 710(a) only when it intends itself to commence receiving international applications in electronic form.
(i) the electronic document formats, means of transmittal, electronic filing software and types of electronic signature specified by it under Section 703(b)(i), (ii) and (iv), and (c), and any options specified by it under the basic common standard;
(ii) the conditions, rules and procedures relating to electronic receipt, including hours of operation, choices for processes to verify or acknowledge receipt, choices for electronic communication of invitations and notifications, any methods of online payment, details concerning any help desks, electronic and software requirements and other administrative matters related to the electronic filing of international applications and related documents;
(iii) the kinds of documents which may be transmitted to or by the Office in electronic form;
(iv) whether and under what conditions the Office accepts the filing of backup copies under Section 706(a);
(v) procedures for notification of applicants and procedures which applicants may follow as alternatives when the electronic systems of the Office are not available;
(vi) where applicable, certification authorities accepted by the Office, and the electronic address of a listing of the certificate policies under which the certificates are issued;
(vii) the procedures relating to access to the files of international applications filed or stored in electronic form.
(b) The receiving Office shall notify the International Bureau of any change in the matters previously indicated by it in a notification under paragraph (a).
(c) The International Bureau shall promptly publish in the Gazette any notification received by it under paragraph (a) or (b).
(d) The effective date of any change notified under paragraph (b) shall be as specified by the receiving Office in the notification, provided that any change which restricts filing options shall not be effective earlier than two months after the date of publication of the notification of the change in the Gazette.
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