Note 19. Fiduciary Activities

Fiduciary activities are the collection or receipt, and the management, protection, accounting, and disposition by the federal government of cash or other assets in which non-federal individuals or entities have an ownership interest that the federal government must uphold. Fiduciary cash and other assets are not assets of the federal government and accordingly are not recognized on the proprietary financial statements.

The Patent Cooperation Treaty authorized the USPTO to collect patent filing and search fees on behalf of the WIPO, EPO, Korean Intellectual Property Office, and the Australian Patent Office from U.S. citizens requesting an international patent. The Madrid Protocol Implementation Act authorized the USPTO to collect trademark application fees on behalf of the International Bureau of the WIPO from U.S. citizens requesting an international trademark.