The extension of PPH pilot program and the commencement of PPH MOTTAINAI (patent prosecution highway pilot program with relaxed requirements) Pilot Program between the JPO and the EPO

Examination Policy Planning Office

The PPH is the framework which supports an applicant's acquisition of a patent at an early stage worldwide and enhances the utilization of search and examination results between the world's major IP Offices. Since PPH (PPH using the national work products and PPH using the PCT international work products) pilot program between the JPO and the EPO started in January 29th, 2010, the program has always been well-received because, as expected, our users received examination result from the Office of later examination at the very early stage. The number of request to the JPO and the EPO, in total, has exceeded 300 at to both PPH using the national work products and PPH using the PCT international work products.

Under these circumstances, the EPO and the JPO are pleased to inform you that the both Offices have decided to continue accepting the PPH petition from our users since January 29th, 2012. The extension period is additional 2 years to January 28th, 2014.

In Addition the EPO and the JPO agreed that they would commence the 撤PH MOTTAINAI*・patent prosecution highway pilot program with relaxed requirements) pilot program on January 29, 2012.

*: PPH MOTTAINAI

This program is designed to allow patent applicants to file requests for an accelerated examination under the PPH with regard to applications that have been assumed as patentable by one of the participating patent offices, regardless of which office the application was first filed with. The PPH programs to date, accepted only PPH requests based on the examination results of the Office of First Filing, or the patent office with which the corresponding application was filed first. This restriction on PPH requests has created a 努asteful・(mottainai in Japanese) situation where useful examination outcomes are not fully utilized at the international level. Thus the pilot program was named 撤PH MOTTAINAI.・/td>

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[Last updated 25 January 2012]