European Patent Office (EPO) signed Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Memorandum of Understanding with Russian Patent Office, Rospatent

On 4 October 2016, the European Patent Office (EPO) signed the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Patent Office, Rospatent. According to the Memorandum, pilot PPH-Mottainai and PCT-PPH bilateral programs between the EPO and Rospatent will begin during 2017. No further details have been made public yet.

The programs will initially run for 3 years. Applicants whose claims have been found to be patentable by either the EPO or Rospatent may ask for accelerated examination of their corresponding applications that are pending before the other office. Accelerated examination based on a positive written opinion or international preliminary examination report issued by either office acting as the International Searching Authority or the International Preliminary Examining Authority will be possible as well. Currently, Rospatent is party to the Global PPH program.

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Read more: http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2016/20161011.html