(a) The International Bureau shall communicate any third party observation and any comment by the applicant promptly to the International Searching Authority specified to carry out the international search, the International Searching Authority specified to carry out the supplementary international search and the International Preliminary Examining Authority specified to carry out the international preliminary examination, unless the international search report, the supplementary international search report or the international preliminary examination report, respectively, has already been received by the International Bureau.
(b) Promptly after the expiration of 30 months from the priority date, the International Bureau shall communicate any third party observation and any comment by the applicant to all designated Offices, subject to Rule 93bis. The designated Offices shall not be obliged to take either the observations or any comments into account during national processing.