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Article 31(2)(b)
As to demands made under Article 31(2)(b), the Assembly, in specifying the International Preliminary Examining Authority competent for international applications filed with a national Office which is an International Preliminary Examining Authority, shall give preference to that Authority; if the national Office is not an International Preliminary Examining Authority, the Assembly shall give preference to the International Preliminary Examining Authority recommended by that Office.
(a) If the demand is submitted to a receiving Office, an International Searching Authority, or an International Preliminary Examining Authority which is not competent for the international preliminary examination of the international application, that Office or Authority shall mark the date of receipt on the demand and, unless it decides to proceed under paragraph (f), transmit the demand promptly to the International Bureau.
(b) If the demand is submitted to the International Bureau, the International Bureau shall mark the date of receipt on the demand.
(c) Where the demand is transmitted to the International Bureau under paragraph (a) or submitted to it under paragraph (b), the International Bureau shall promptly:
(i) if there is only one competent International Preliminary Examining Authority, transmit the demand to that Authority and inform the applicant accordingly, or
(ii) if two or more International Preliminary Examining Authorities are competent, invite the applicant to indicate, within 15 days from the date of the invitation or 19 months from the priority date, whichever is later, the competent International Preliminary Examining Authority to which the demand should be transmitted.
(d) Where an indication is furnished as required under paragraph (c)(ii), the International Bureau shall promptly transmit the demand to the competent International Preliminary Examining Authority indicated by the applicant. Where no indication is so furnished, the demand shall be considered not to have been submitted and the International Bureau shall so declare.
(e) Where the demand is transmitted to a competent International Preliminary Examining Authority under paragraph (c), it shall be considered to have been received on behalf of that Authority on the date marked on it under paragraph (a) or (b), as applicable, and the demand so transmitted shall be considered to have been received by that Authority on that date.
(f) Where an Office or Authority to which the demand is submitted under paragraph (a) decides to transmit that demand directly to the competent International Preliminary Examining Authority, paragraphs (c) to (e) shall apply mutatis mutandis.
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