PCT Information Update
International filing fee and handling fee payable in US dollars (various Offices)
On 1 July 2024, there will be changes in the equivalent amounts in USD of the international filing fee, the fee per sheet over 30, the electronic filing reductions (where applicable) listed in item 4 of the Schedule of Fees and the handling fee, as indicated in the PCT Fee Tables. These changes have been reflected in the following annexes of the PCT Applicant’s Guide:
- Annex C (receiving Offices): AM, AP, AZ, BH, BW, BY, BZ, CL, CR, DJ, DO, EA, EC, EG, GE, GH, HN, IB, IL, IN, IQ, JM, JO, KE, KG, KH, KZ, LR, MD, MW, MX, NI, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, QA, RU, SA, SC, SV, SY, TJ, TM, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, WS, ZM, ZW;
- Annex E (International Preliminary Examining Authorities): CL, EA, EG, IN, PH, RU, US.
EP European Patent Organisation (discontinuance of use of fax machine)
With effect from 1 July 2024, the European Patent Office (EPO) has notified the International Bureau (IB) that it will discontinue the use of its facsimile machine and will no longer accept the filing of documents by fax.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex B (EP))
ES Spain (location and mailing address)
The location and mailing address of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office has changed, as follows:
Location: Paseo de la Castellana 75
28046 Madrid
Spain
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex B (ES))
IB International Bureau (fees)
As from 1 July 2024, there will be a change in the equivalent amount of the transmittal fee and the fee for priority document in USD, payable to the International Bureau (IB) as receiving Office, as follows:
Transmittal fee:........................................ USD 110
Fee for priority document:...................... USD 55
Supplement for airmail:................... USD 11
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (IB))
PT Portugal (institutions with which deposits of microorganisms and other biological material may be made)
The following depositary institution acquired the status of International Depositary Authority (IDA) under the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, with effect from 25 April 2024:
Bacteria Culture Collection of the University of Coimbra (UCCCB)
Specialized microbiology laboratories of the University of Coimbra
Rua da Matemática, nº 49, Prédio do Patronato, 3º Piso
3000-276 Coimbra- Portugal
US United States of America (location and mailing address; fees; competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities)
The Patent Customer Service Window of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has changed location, as follows:
Location: Customer Service Window
Knox Building, Room 1D80
501 Dulany Street
Alexandria
VA 22314
United States of America
The Office has specified, with effect from 6 March 2024, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, in addition to the Australian Patent Office, the European Patent Office, the Israel Patent Office, the Japan Patent Office, the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and the USPTO, as competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority for international applications filed in English by nationals and residents of the United States of America with the USPTO (or with the IB) as receiving Office.
This specification will apply for a period of eight years, until 5 March 2032. During this eight-year period, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines will act as International Searching Authority provided that it has not received more than 75 international applications from the USPTO during any fiscal quarter, and as International Preliminary Examining Authority provided that the above conditions have been met and it has carried out the international search.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex B (US) and C (US))
Search fees (various Offices)
As from 1 July 2024, there will be changes in the equivalent amounts payable in the currencies specified below for international searches carried out by the following Offices:
Eurasian Patent Office................................................................... CHF
Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent)
(Russian Federation)...................................................................... CHF
Indian Patent Office....................................................................... CHF
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines............................ CHF
National Institute of Industrial Property (Chile)......................... CHF
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)................ CHF
The above-mentioned amounts are indicated in Fee Table I(b).
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex D (CL, EA, IN, PH, RU and US))
Supplementary search fee (Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) (Russian Federation))
As from 1 July 2024, there will be a change in the amount payable in CHF for a supplementary international search carried out by Rospatent. The new amount is indicated in Fee Table I(c).
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex SISA (RU))