Date: 10 December 2019
The EPO and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) last month signed an agreement to allow Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications filed in English, with CNIPA as Receiving Office, to designate the EPO as their International Search Authority (ISA).
This agreement is the latest development in a strategic partnership between the EPO and CNIPA which began in 2017, the first such partnership between major patent offices.
The option is expected to become available in 2020 and run as a two-year pilot programme.
Our partner James Cross wrote an article highlighting how patent applicants can benefit from this partnership. Read the full article on Managing IP’s website