Extension of the PPH pilot agreement between CIPO and SIPO

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is pleased to announce that the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot agreement between CIPO and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO) has been extended for three years to August 31, 2021.

This extension introduces the availability of SIPO's international work products as the basis for a PCT-PPH request.

The PPH pilot agreement between our offices began in 2013 and allows applicants at CIPO and SIPO to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. It also enables CIPO and SIPO to benefit from work previously done by each other's patent office, in turn reducing examination workload and improving patent quality.

CIPO's goal for all PPH agreements is to provide a first office action (allowance or first substantive report) within 90 days from receipt of the request. CIPO has noted that approximately 37% of Patent Cooperation Treaty-PPH applications and 26% of PPH applications are allowed without an office action. Both figures are significantly higher than for non-PPH national applications (3%). This represents a savings of time and effort for both CIPO and its clients.

As always, applicants whose claims have been found to be patentable by either SIPO or CIPO may request accelerated processing of their corresponding applications that are pending before the other office. A PPH request at CIPO can be made based on SIPO national and international work products.

CIPO will continue to process requests for advanced prosecution under the PPH program free of charge. Regular fees (Schedule II of the Patent Rules) for requesting examination will continue to apply.

For more information on the PPH program, visit CIPO's PPH page or contact the PPH coordinator.