PROSUR: Patent Prosecution Highway

On September 19, 2016, representatives of Regional Cooperation System on Industrial Property PROSUR, namely Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, launched Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Programme.

The Programme aims at reduction of costs related to patent registration and speeding up the process of substantive examination in member states of PROSUR.

Among the peculiarities of the agreement is the possibility to accelerate the examination procedure by using the examination results issued by one of the Patent Offices (Earlier Examination Authority) when filing an application with the other countries’ Patent Offices (Later Examination Authorities).

There also exists the PCT-PPH option in PROSUR countries. An applicant has the possibility to use the results of the international application search/examination carried out by the Brazilian INPI (Instituto Nacional de Propriedade Industrial) or Chilean INAPI (Instituto Nacional de Propiedad Industrial) acting as PCT receiving offices and ISA/IPEAs.

The overall information concerning the PPH and the requirements to be fulfilled within its frame are described in the special guides prepared by the Patent Office of each country.

The Pilot Programme is implemented in PROSUR for three years with the possibility to extend it for one additional year. Afterwards, the member states will assess its results and the necessity for its further extension.

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