Global Patent Prosecution Highway to speed up Australian patent examination

On 6 January 2014, the Patent Prosecution Highway pilot between IP Australia and the USPTO was superseded by an agreement between 12 Intellectual Property Offices known as the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH).

Under the GPPH pilot, where one of the participating Offices rules that at least one claim is allowable, the Applicant is able to request another of the participating Offices fast track the examination of the corresponding application. Work carried our under the Patent Cooperation Treaty by one of the participating Offices will also allow accelerated examination. For example, accelerated examination can be requested where the IPRP prepared by one of the participating Offices indicates that at least one claim is allowable.

The other participating Offices are as follows:

  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office
  • Danish Patent and Trademark Office
  • National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland
  • Japan Patent Office
  • Korean Intellectual Property Office
  • Nordic Patent Institute
  • Norwegian Industrial Property Office
  • Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property
  • Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property
  • Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
  • United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office

Please contact us if you require any further information or wish to take advantage of the GPPH.

January 2014

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