CNIPA-European Patent Office (EPO) Joint Communiqué: Pilot Program of International Searching Authority (ISA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Extended

November 24, 2023

Chinese patent applicants will continue to have the option to select the EPO as their ISA

Nationals and residents of the People's Republic of China will continue to have the option to select the EPO as their ISA for international applications filed in English under the PCT until November 30, 2026. This follows the success of the pilot program first started in December 2020, which is being extended for a further three years as mutually agreed between the CNIPA and the EPO.

(Source: website of the CNIPA)