EPO Announces: PPH Pilot Program with Chile Now in Effect

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) 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 European Patent Office (EPO) and the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile (INAPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the PPH pilot program on 11 July 2023. The program commenced on 1 June 2024, and will run for three years until 31 May 2027, with the possibility of adjustments by mutual consent along the way.