US-China Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot To Launch on December 1, 2011

Deputy Under Secretary for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Teresa Stanek Rea and China’s State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) Deputy Commissioner Yang Tiejun, signed a Joint Statement of Intent on November 8, 2011, to launch two new Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programs on December 1, 2011.These landmark patent worksharing initiatives represent a major achievement in the growing bilateral cooperation between the two patent offices. These pilot programs will apply to qualifying patent applications filed under both the Paris Convention (“Paris Route”) and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

"This PPH agreement marks a shining success of the outstanding cooperation by both offices to build on synergies to improve the global patent system,” said Under Secretary Kappos. “The agreement comes at a very opportune time as China and the United States together make up a significant global market share for patent stakeholders. PPH will promote high quality patents and expedite processing of patent applications in both offices by avoiding duplicative work and will provide greater costs savings to patent applicants. It will help spur greater innovation and generate greater economic growth and job creation in both countries.”