UK and Japan to open ideas Highway

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July will see the opening of a long-awaited Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) between the UK Intellectual Property office (UKIPO) and the Japan patent Office (JPO). Designed to speed up dual filing arrangements between the two countries and enhance their working relations, the PPH will initially be operated as a year-long pilot scheme.

In a statement, the UKIPO said: ‘The aim of the pilot will be to test applicant demand for … speeding up examination of patent applications, and to quantify the quality and efficiency gains to be expected. Other options for speeding up the examination procedure already exist, but these require the applicant to provide particular and adequate reasons in each individual case.’

The first stirrings of the initiative appeared in the Gowers Review of UK Intellectual Property, published in December 2006: ‘The JPO has been active in looking at useful, long-term solutions to accelerate patent applications and reduce duplication of effort,’ said the Review. ‘Its solution … involves mutual sharing of search and examination results between an Office of First Filing and an Office of Second Filing. The JPO explains: ”On condition that patent application X is determined to be allowable in Country A, the corresponding patent application X in Country B will be deemed as qualified for accelerated examination through a simple procedure.”’

July’s pilot scheme will make this procedure a reality, and will start to implement the Review’s 18th Recommendation, which called upon the UK government to encourage stronger working ties between the European Patent Office (EPO), the JPO and the USPTO. In leading by example, the UK is hoping to stimulate activity on a wider scale.

Science and Innovation minister, Malcolm Wicks, said: ‘I am pleased that the UK Patent Office and the Japan Patent Office have reached this historic agreement. The Patent Prosecution Highway will speed up the examination of patent applications in both countries, leading to a more efficient and effective service to customers. I hope it will be used as a model for international cooperation elsewhere.’