EPO extends Patent Prosecution Highway pilot programme with IP Australia

28 June 2019

With effect from 1 July 2019, the European Patent
Office (EPO) will be extending its PPH pilot programme with IP
Australia, thus enabling applicants at both offices to continue
obtaining patents more quickly and efficiently.

The PPH pilot
programme is being extended for three years until 30 June 2022, and the
current conditions and requirements for participation will continue to
apply.

The trial with Australia was initially launched in July 2016.

The EPO’s PPH portfolio

In
addition to this programme, the EPO has operational PPH pilot
programmes with the IP5 offices (the grouping of the world’s five
largest IP offices, made up of the EPO and the patent offices of China,
Japan, Korea, and the US), as well as with the national patent offices
of Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines,
Russia, Singapore and the Eurasian Patent Office.

Further information