The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). PCT system makes it possible for every Patent holder to obtain its Patent protection in several countries by just filing single application through PCT.
The granting of patents remain under the national or regional legislation of the national or regional Patent offices. It is called the “ national Phase”.
In the national phase, each patent office is responsible for processing the application in accordance with its national patent laws, and for deciding whether to grant patent protection.
Advantages of Patent Cooperation Treaty
Applicants and patent offices of contracting states benefit from uniform formality requirements, international search, supplementary international search and preliminary examination reports, and centralised international publication.
Who can file PCT application
The visegrad Patent Institute is appointed as an international Searching Authority ( ISA) and an International Preliminary Examination Authority (IPEA) under the PCT system for applicants who are nationals or residents of Czech republic, Hungary, The republic of Poland and the Slovak republic. The two letter code representing the visegrad Patent institute is XV.
How to file your PCT Application
Requests must be made on a printed form or be presented as a computer printout, unless the receiving office or WIPO’s website. A special programme for electronic (E-PCT) filing is available from WIPO.
Where to file your PCT Application
Applicants who wish to file an international PCT application have to use the national office (which acts as a receiving office) in the country of which they are national or resident or the international bureau as a receiving office.