UK INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY OFFICE News Release issued by The Government News Network
on 2 July 2007
A 12 month pilot
scheme launched today will speed up processing patent applications
in the UK and Japan.
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) will allow patent applicants
who have received an examination report by either the UK
Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) or the Japan Patent Office
(JPO) to request accelerated examination of a corresponding patent
application filed in the other country. The aim of the pilot is to
test applicant demand for this additional option for speeding up
examination of patent applications and to quantify the quality and
efficiency gains to be expected. Ian Fletcher, Chief Executive of
the UK Intellectual Property Office said:
"The Patent Prosecution Highway is a valuable additional
resource for those seeking to protect their intellectual property
in both the UK and Japan. I am especially pleased that the
improved efficiency and quality expected to arise from the PPH is
a direct result of the strong relations that exist between the UK
Intellectual Property Office and the Japan Patent Office."
"The PPH will help the offices in their goal of stimulating
and rewarding invention and innovation and is an important step
towards a global patent prosecution highway network."
Mr. Nakajima, Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office said:
"The Patent Prosecution Highway is a significant step in the
cooperative efforts of Japan and the UK to streamline patent
prosecution and support Japanese and UK industries to acquire
patents throughout the world."
"This initiative between the two countries is expected to
further contribute to the realisation of a global patent
prosecution highway network."
The development of work sharing arrangements between the UK-IPO
and other national patent offices is a key recommendation of the
Gowers Review of Intellectual Property. The UK-IPO is already
discussing the possibility of a similar PPH pilot with the US
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to be launched later this
year. Editor note
* The pilot scheme is the result of the recent signing of the
Patent Prosecution Highway pilot agreement by the UK Intellectual
Property Office and the Japan Patent Office.
* The pilot arrangement between the UK and Japan will build upon
the initial success of the Patent Prosecution Highway currently
being piloted by the USPTO and the JPO, and will help promote
international efforts to develop work sharing arrangements aimed
at reducing cross-national duplication of effort.
* The Japanese Patent Office can be found at http://www.jpo.go.jp/
* Patent applicants will be required to submit search and
examination reports prepared by the other patent office in order
qualify for accelerated treatment.