Patent Prosecution Highway with Canada opens today
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) allows applicants who have been successful in obtaining a patent from either the UK Intellectual Property…
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) allows applicants who have been successful in obtaining a patent from either the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) or the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) to request accelerated examination of a corresponding patent application filed in the other country.
Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Wilcox said:
“The Patent Prosecution Highway with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office builds on similar schemes that the UK IPO already has with Japan, South Korea, and the United States, which are already delivering benefits for applicants. Applicants and businesses in both the UK and Canada will have quicker and cheaper international patent protection. Speeding up the patent process is an important contribution to boosting economic growth, by helping companies and entrepreneurs turn their ideas into business.”
The PPH agreement with CIPO will also trial the new ‘MOTTAINAI’ model under which requests will be dealt with regardless of the order in which the various applications were filed or the original priority claimed by the co-pending applications.
The UK-Canada PPH pilot will commence on 31st January 2012 and will run for an initial period of two years, ending on 30th January 2014.
Notes to editors
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The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is within the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS) and is responsible for the national framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.
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Its role is to help manage an IP system that encourages innovation and creativity, balances the needs of consumers and users, promotes strong and competitive markets and is the foundation of the knowledge-based economy.
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It operates in a national and an international environment and its work is governed by national and international law, including various international treaties relating to Intellectual Property (IP) to which the United Kingdom is a party.
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“MOTTAINAI” is a Japanese term meaning “a sense of regret concerning waste when the intrinsic value of an object or resource is not properly utilized”.
Notes to Editors
Contact Information
Name BIS Press Office Job Title
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Email NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Name Veena Mapara Job Title
Division Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Phone 020 7215 5614 Fax
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