The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) procedure allows a single patent application to be filed covering all member countries of the treaty (more than 150), thereby avoiding the need to file separately in each country. It is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and simplifies access to international protection.
The main steps are:
- Filing the international application with a receiving office (WIPO, EPO, INPI), possibly claiming priority from a previous national application.
- Preliminary international search report.
- International publication 18 months after the filing or priority date.
- Amendments or an international examination to address any objections.
- Entry into the national or regional phase, including selection of countries, payment of fees, and required translations.
The international phase typically lasts 18 to 30 months (31 months in Europe).
The main advantages of the PCT are:
- Simplification: a single application for several countries.
- Time savings and flexibility: the ability to decide later which countries to protect the invention in.
- Centralized search and examination: assessment of validity before incurring significant costs in each country.
The PCT facilitates international protection by allowing the commercial value of an invention to be assessed and by enabling the planning of steps in the relevant countries.