INTERNATIONAL PATENT (PCT).
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1. INTRODUCTION.
The International Patent or PCT (which stands for Patent Cooperation Treaty) system was signed in Washington and has been in force since January 1st, 1985. This Treaty envisages a system, which allows a patent application to be filed in a large number of countries by way of a single application, obtaining a Search Report on the earlier state of the art. If desired, it is also possible to request a substantive examination (Preliminary Examination Report) of the application, as a preliminary phase of the application and further processing of the patent application in each of the designated countries.
Thus, the PCT system does not envisage a granting procedure in the designated countries, nor does it replace national applications; it consists of a phase, prior to the individual application, for collecting more information on the state of the art and on the success of the future patent itself. Moreover, it grants an extension of up to 30/31 months for filing the national application counting from the priority date.
2. COUNTRIES WHICH CAN BE DESIGNATED.
The countries that are now part of the PCT are the following:
Current list from WIPO
