The PPH network continues to expand, and we at AWA remain one step ahead by closely monitoring the new expansions and emerging opportunities.
Recently, European patent applicants have been presented with new opportunities to expedite and simplify the examination of their patent applications. This opportunity adds to the existing 15 agreements that the EPO holds with the patent offices of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Malaysia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the USA.
Effective 1 December 2024, the EPO and the New Zealand IP office, IPONZ, have launched a new PPH agreement. The agreement applies to both national and PCT work products. Effective 12 January 2025, the EPO and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain, MOIC, signed a memorandum of understanding with the intention of launching a new PPH agreement. This agreement is also intended to apply to both national and PCT work products.
To recall, under a given PPH agreement, the PPH permits the request for accelerated examination at the office participating in this agreement, based on the search results and a set of claims accepted for grant in a corresponding application at the other participating office.
It is also worth mentioning that recently the Brazilian and Peruvian IP offices have joined the Global PPH network. Consequently, these two offices now have PPH agreements in force with, among others, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, as well as countries such as the USA, Japan, and South Korea.
Finally, new IP offices continue to join the PPH network. Recent additions include IP offices such as the African Regional IP Organisation (agreement with China) and the MOIC of Bahrain (agreements with China, South Korea, the USA, and soon also the EPO).
On another note, the Argentine IP office has decided not to extend any of its PPH agreements. Consequently, the Argentine IP office has effectively withdrawn from the PPH network.
The total number of IP offices involved in the PPH network has now reached 56.
