WIPO Approves Brazilian Proposal to Enhance Patent Cooperation Treaty

On 19 February, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Working Group at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) approved a proposal from Brazil's National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI) to improve the digitalisation process for international applications. The proposal, which is supported by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeks to offer receiving offices three options for receiving applications:

1. Continue with both paper and electronic filing;
2. Accept only the electronic format, but with the option of paper through WIPO’s International Secretariat; and
3. Allow paper applications with an obligation to file electronically within two months.