PRH and EAPO to start Patent Prosecution Highway later this year

The Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) and the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) have agreed to launch a joint Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Programme to enable work-sharing and accelerated treatment of patent applications at both offices. The Memorandum of Understanding on the PPH Pilot Programme was signed on 24 April 2020.

Under the PPH Pilot Programme, which is expected to be launched in the second half of 2020 and run initially for 3 years with a possible extension, applicants whose claims have been found to be patentable by the PRH or the EAPO may ask for accelerated processing of their corresponding application at the other office. In addition, the PPH pilot enables offices to share existing work results, speeding up the granting process and reducing costs for the users.

Currently, the EAPO has ongoing bilateral PPH Pilot Programmes with the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Chinese Patent Office (SIPO), and the Korean Patent Office (KIPO).

For further information please contact our Patent Attorney, Erik Viik.