Hoffmann Eitle - München, London

23.01.2012 -

Extension of the Trial Period of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Programme

The "Patent Prosecution Highway" (PPH) pilot programme enables an applicant whose claims have been determined to be patentable/allowable to have a corresponding application filed with a PPH partner office processed in an accelerated manner while at the same time allowing the offices involved to exploit available work results.

The PPH pilot programme between the Trilateral Offices, i.e. the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), based on PCT work products (Trilateral PCT-PPH) was launched on 29 January 2010. Corresponding agreements between the EPO and the JPO and USPTO based on national work products were launched on 29 January 2010 and 29 January 2008, respectively.

The offices have agreed to revise the participation requirements and extend the trial period for the PCT‑PPH pilot programmes until 28 January 2014, with effect from 29 January 2012.

The Patent Prosecution Highway leverages fast-track patent examination procedures already available at the offices to allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. It also permits each office to exploit the work previously done by another office.

Further information on the PPH pilot programmes is available on the website of the European Patent Office at:

PPH Pilot Programme between the Trilateral Offices based on PCT work products
PPH Pilot Programme between the EPO and the USPTO based on national work products
PPH Pilot Programme between the EPO and the JPO based on national work products

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