20.3

a)   Where, in determining whether the papers purporting to be an international application fulfill the requirements of Article 11(1), the receiving Office finds that any of the requirements of Article 11(1) are not, or appear not to be, fulfilled, it shall promptly invite the applicant, at the applicant’s option:
 

(i)   to furnish the required correction under Article 11(2); or

(ii)  where the requirements concerned are those relating to an element referred to in Article 11(1)(iii)d) or e), to confirm in accordance with Rule 20.6a) that the element is incorporated by reference under Rule 4.18;

 and to make observations, if any, within the applicable time limit under Rule 20.7. If that time limit expires after the expiration of 12 months from the filing date of any application whose priority is claimed, the receiving Office shall call that circumstance to the attention of the applicant.

b)   Where, following an invitation under paragraph a) or otherwise:

(i)   the applicant furnishes to the receiving Office the required correction under Article 11(2) after the date of receipt of the purported international application but on a later date falling within the applicable time limit under Rule 20.7, the receiving Office shall accord that later date as the international filing date and proceed as provided in Rule 20.2b) and c);

(ii)  an element referred to in Article 11(1)(iii)d) or e) is, under Rule 20.6b), considered to have been contained in the international application on the date on which one or more elements referred to in Article 11(1)(iii) were first received by the receiving Office, the receiving Office shall accord as the international filing date the date on which all of the requirements of Article 11(1) are fulfilled and proceed as provided in Rule 20.2b) and c).

c)   If the receiving Office later discovers, or on the basis of the applicant’s reply realizes, that it has erred in issuing an invitation under paragraph a) since the requirements of Article 11(1) were fulfilled when the papers were received, it shall proceed as provided in Rule 20.2.