In October 2016, the Brazilian Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services entered an agreement with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to start a working group to analyze ways for both countries to cooperate and speed up the examination of patent application pending examination.
One possible way to cooperate is implementing a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) between the countries involved, which is a system that both Japan and Brazil have been using with other countries including the United States, as we reported last previously http://www.moellerip.com/patent-prosecution-highway-between-brazil-and-usa/.
Under a PPH, subject to certain conditions the member countries benefit from the results of the substantive examinations carried out by other member countries, which saves public and private resources and has been the most popular strategy chosen so far to cooperate in this field.
According to the press released by the Brazilian PTO, the working group is expected to find the best way to increase the quality and speed of substantive examinations while avoiding the duplication of work with other foreign PTOs. It will also reduce workload problems particularly for Brazil, which is the Latin American country receiving the highest number of patent applications yearly.
Given the ongoing high backlog to examine patent applications and the difficulties to get enough financial, technological and human resources in place for most counties of this region, the expansion of the cooperation among Latin American governments is very welcome.
Marta Garcia from Moeller has reported other regional developments that occurred recently in this area such as PROSUR ( http://www.moellerip.com/patent-prosecution-highway-program) as well particular strategies implemented by individual countries such as Argentina ( http://www.moellerip.com/new-resolution-for-fast-track-examinations).
Source: http://www.inpi.gov.br
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