With effect from July 2020, enterprises which are nationals and residents of Republic of Korea and Lao People’s Democratic Republic will be able to select the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) as an International Searching (ISA) and Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) for international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The Republic of Korea and Lao People’s Democratic Republic are the newest additions to the list of countries that have appointed IPOS as ISA/IPEA.
With this alliance, enterprises could tap on IPOS’ ability to conduct patent searches in English and Chinese to provide coverage of prior art in both English and Chinese. Further, by leveraging on IPOS’ international as well as regional work-sharing networks, namely the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) and PCT-ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (PCT-ASPEC), enterprises will also be able to enjoy patent acceleration in both the ASEAN and international regions, facilitating quicker speed to markets.
