International and Regional Patent Systems

WIPO-UKRAINE SUMMER SCHOOL ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: JULY 2011

Outline

Reasons for international and regional patent systemsExamples of international and regional systemsThe Patent Cooperation TreatyThe Eurasian Patent OrganisationThe European Patent OrganisationEuropean CommunityAfrican Regional SystemsThe Future

Reasons for international and regional patent systems

PoliticalEqual treatmentCloser cooperation

EconomicLower costs

For countriesFor applicants

AdministrativeReduces backlogsSimplifies procedures

Examples of international and regional patent systems

The Patent Cooperation TreatyThe Eurasian Patent OrganisationThe European Patent OrganisationEuropean Community DevelopmentsAfrican Regional Systems

African Regional Intellectual Property OrganisationOrganisation Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle

The Patent Cooperation Treaty; members - 1

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, AzerbaijanBahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina FasoCameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican RepublicEcuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia

The Patent Cooperation Treaty; members - 2

Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, HungaryIceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, ItalyJapanKazakhstan, Kenya, KyrgyzstanLao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg

The Patent Cooperation Treaty; members - 3

Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, MozambiqueNamibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, NorwayOmanPapua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, PortugalQatarRepublic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda

The Patent Cooperation Treaty; members - 4

Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab RepublicTajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, TurkmenistanUganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uzbekistan1Viet NamZambia, Zimbabwe

The Patent Cooperation Treaty;an outline

1144 Member StatesInternational Phase

International searchInternational PublicationInternational Preliminary Examination

National PhaseExaminationNo examinationGranted Patents

The Patent Cooperation Treaty; International Search and Preliminary Examination Authorities

Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Finland, India, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, the United States of America, the European Patent Office, and the Nordic Patent Institute.

The Patent Cooperation Treaty – How it works

The Eurasian Patent Organisation; members

Kyrgyz RepublicRepublic of ArmeniaRepublic of AzerbaijanRepublic of BelarusRepublic of KazakhstanRepublic of MoldovaRepublic of TajikistanRussian FederationTurkmenistan

Eurasian Patent Organisation; how it works

StructureAdministrative CouncilEurasian Patent Office

Filing of Single application with Eurasian Patent OfficeInitial search by Eurasian Patent Office Substantive examination – requested 6 months after publication of search reportGrantDesignation of states in which patent is to be effectiveMaintenance in members states individually

The European Patent Organisation; Member States

The European Patent Organisation; how it works

StructureAdministrative Council

Budget and Finance CommitteePatent Law CommitteeTechnical and operational support committee

The European Patent OfficeHagueBerlinViennaMunich

The European Patent Organisation; procedures

The European Community; member states

The European Union; regional IP systems

Office for the Harmonisation of the Internal MarketSingle European trade markSingle European design

Community patentEnhanced cooperation – not Italy and SpainOptional – national and European patents continueSingle application made at EPO

Examined under European patent ConventionMade unitary patent at request of applicantsEPO collects renewal fees and conducts other maintenance functions

European Community Patent; some issues

TranslationsProceedings in EPO languages (English, French, German)No further translation at grant machine translation when neededTransitional period

Translation into English or language of member state filed by applicant but reimbursed

LitigationEuropean and EU Patents CourtFirst Instance regional and central

African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation

African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation; member states

BotswanaGambiaGhanaKenyaLesothoLiberiaMalawiMozambique

NamibiaSierra LeoneSomaliaSudan (changes)SwazilandTanzaniaUgandaZambiaZimbabwe

African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation; how it works

StructureAdministrative CouncilARIPO OfficeTraining Centre

ProcessTrade marks, patents and designsSingle applicationSearch and substantive examinationGrant

National acceptance

Organisation Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle; member states

BeninBurkino FasoCamerounCentrafiqueCongoCote d’IvoireGabon

GuineeGuinee BissauMaliMauritanieNigerSenegalTchadTogo

Organisation Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle; how it works

StructureAdministrative councilDirector generalBoard of appeals

Deals with all IP rightsEffective in all statesDecisions by court in one state apply to all

The Future

Strengthening of existing systemsPatent Prosecution Highway

Work done once is used againMutual Recognition

Grant by one leads to grant by othersThe big 5

State Intellectual Property Office (China), EPO, Korean Intellectual Property Office, Japan Patent Office, United States Patent and Trade Mark Office

An alternative to the PCT?