PCT Update [August 2006]

Regulations under the PCT in Japanese, Russian and Spanish

The Regulations under the PCT, as in force from 1 April 2006, are now available in Japanese,
Russian and Spanish at, respectively:

• www.wipo.int/ja/pct/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf
• www.wipo.int/ru/pct/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf
• www.wipo.int/pct/es/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf

The texts in English, French and German are also available at, respectively

• www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf
• www.wipo.int/pct/fr/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf
• www.wipo.int/pct/de/texts/pdf/pct_regs.pdf

Delays in the Processing of International Applications Filed with RO/EP

Due to the deployment of a new electronic system for the processing of PCT applications filed (both on paper and electronically) with the European Patent office as receiving Office, there may be a delay in the receipt by applicants (or their agents) of Forms PCT/IB/301 and PCT/IB/304 with respect to international applications.

Survey on the Patentscope Search Service

WIPO is conducting a survey on the Patentscope Search Service (which provides
access to over one million international patent applications at http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/) at https://webaccess.wipo.int/opinio/s?s=917.

Requesting Early entry into the national/regional phase

According to PCT Articles 23(2) and 40(2), designated/elected Offices may start the processing and examination of the international application earlier if the applicant makes an express request to the Office(s) concerned. In order for that request to be effective, the applicant must have performed, or must perform at the same time, the acts necessary for entry into the national phase. It is recalled that those acts which must be performed, if applicable, by the applicant before the start of the national phase:

• Payment of the national fee;
• Furnishing of a translation, if prescribed;
• Furnishing a copy of the international application, if the international
  application has not yet been made available to the designated Offices under PCT Article 20, and if required by the Office concerned
• And, as is applicable only in very few cases: the furnishing of the indication of the name and address of the inventor if they were not given in the request when the international application was filed, but the designated Office allows them to be given at a time later than that of the filing of the national application.

More information is available from the PCT newsletter for August 2006 at http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pctndocs/en/2006/pct_news_2006_8.pdf