24. The National Patent Administration shall conduct a preliminary examination of the documentation, and may ask to have points specified or clarified where it considers this necessary, or omissions to be made good. Where the applicant fails to comply with such a request within a period of 180 days, the application shall be considered abandoned.
27. On payment of the fee laid down in the implementing decree, the National Patent Administration shall undertake a substantive examination to determine compliance with the conditions set forth in Title II, Chapter I of this Law.
The National Patent Administration may request a copy of any substantive examination conducted by foreign examining offices according to the procedure laid down in the implementing decree, and may likewise seek expert opinions from researchers working in universities or science and technology institutes in the country, who in each case shall be rewarded as provided in the implementing decree.
If it is considered necessary, the patent applicant may request the Administration to conduct the examination on his premises.
Where three years have elapsed following the filing of the patent application and the applicant has not paid the fee for the substantive examination, the application shall be considered abandoned.