Uruguay Will File Its Instrument of Accession to the PCT on 7 October

Uruguay's accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is now a reality. The National Directorate of Intellectual Property (DINAPI) has announced that, on 7 October, the country will deposit its instrument of accession with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the last step to formalise entry into the treaty. The agreement will enter into force three months later, on 7 January 2025.

Thus, and after a long process of negotiation and approvals, Uruguay will become the 158th country of the PCT, an agreement that simplifies and facilitates the process of international patent protection for users in its member countries. Furthermore, Uruguay's accession is expected to have a significant impact on the Southern Cone region. 

Uruguay's accession efforts have been accompanied by a number of measures to support locally generated inventions, which will foster investment, new business opportunities and further integration of Uruguay into the global innovation ecosystem. At the same time, the treaty is essential for the promotion of biotechnology, a field in which Uruguay has a long tradition and international recognition. National researchers will now have greater opportunities to internationalise the protection of their innovation.