Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Information
For information concerning PCT member countries, see the notice
appearing in the Official Gazette at 1194 O.G. 618, on January 21, 1997.
For use of the European Patent Office as an International Searching
Authority for international applications filed in the United States
Receiving Office, see the notice appearing in the Official Gazette at
1022 O.G. 52, on September 28, 1982.
For use of the European Patent Office as an International Preliminary
Examining Authority for international applications filed in the United
States Receiving Office, see the notices appearing in the Official
Gazette at 1080 O.G. 2, on July 7, 1987, and at 1091 O.G. 2, on June 7,
1988. There is no longer a limit on the number of such international
applications accepted for international preliminary examination by the
European Patent Office; see the notice appearing at 1116 O.G. 32, on
July 17, 1990.
The search fee of the European Patent Office was changed, effective
May 1, 1997, due to a change in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar with
regard to the German mark, and was announced in the Official Gazette at
1197 O.G. 69, on April 22, 1997.
International fees were changed, effective on May 1, 1997, due to
a change in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar with regard to the Swiss
franc, and were announced in the Official Gazette at 1197 O.G. 69, on
April 22, 1997.
Certain domestic PCT fees and charges for International Search and
Preliminary Examination were changed, effective October 1, 1996, and were
announced in the Official Gazette at 1189 O.G. 62, on August 20, 1996.
The schedule of PCT fees (in U.S. dollars), effective May 1, 1997,
is as follows:
International Application (PCT Chapter I) fees:
Transmittal fee: 230.00
Search Fee
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as
International Searching Authority (ISA)
- No corresponding prior U.S. national
application filed 680.00
- Corresponding prior U.S. national
application filed 440.00
- Supplemental search fee, per
additional invention (payable only upon invitation) 200.00
European Patent Office as ISA 1425.00
International fees
Basic fee 530.00
Basic supplemental fee (for each page
over 30) 10.00
Designation fee per country or region
- For the first 11 national or regional
offices designated 128.00
- For each designation in excess
of 11 offices No Charge
Precautionary designation fee and confirmation fee
for each precautionary designation confirmed
(PCT Rule 15.5)
- Designation fee 128.00
- Confirmation fee 64.00
International Application (PCT Chapter II) fees associated
with filing a Demand for Preliminary Examination:
Handling fee 162.00
Preliminary examination fee
USPTO as International Preliminary
Examining Authority (IPEA)
- USPTO was ISA in PCT Chapter I 480.00
- Additional examination fee, per
additional invention (payable only
upon invitation) 140.00
- USPTO was not ISA in PCT Chapter I 730.00
- Additional examination fee,
per additional invention (payable
only upon invitation) 260.00
Small
U.S. National Stage Fees Entity Regular
Basic National fee
USPTO was IPEA
- All claims presented satisfied
provisions of PCT Article
33(2) to (4) 48.00 96.00
- All claims presented did not satisfy
provisons of PCT Article
33(2) to (4) 350.00 700.00
USPTO was ISA but not IPEA 385.00 770.00
USPTO was neither ISA nor IPEA
- Search report has not been prepared
by the European Patent Office or
the Japanese Patent Office 520.00 1040.00
- Search report has been prepared by
the European Patent Office or the
Japanese Patent Office 455.00 910.00
Other National fees
- For each independent
claim in excess of 3 40.00 80.00
- For each claim in excess of 20 11.00 22.00
- For each application con-
taining a multiple depen-
dent claim 130.00 260.00
- Surcharge for filing oath or
declaration after the time
limit applicable under PCT
Article 22 or 39(1) 65.00 130.00
- Processing fee for filing
English translation after
the time limit applicable
under PCT Article 22 or
39(1) 130.00 130.00
March 31, 1997 BRUCE A. LEHMAN
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks
Patent Cooperation Treaty Update
Accession by Zimbabwe
The United States Patent and Trademark Office received notification
from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that Zimbabwe
deposited its instrument of accession of the PCT on March 11, 1997.
Zimbabwe will become a Contracting State of the PCT on June 11, 1997.
Consequently, nationals and residents of Zimbabwe are entitled to file
international applications under the PCT on and after June 11, 1997, and
from the same date it is possible to file international applications
designating and electing Zimbabwe (country code: ZW).
Since Zimbabwe is a member of the Harare Protocol within the
framework of the African Regional Industrial Property Organization
(ARIPO), Zimbabwe will be able to be designated for a patent granted by
ARIPO. As of June 11, 1997, any designation in an international
application for an ARIPO patent will automatically include the
designation of Zimbabwe for that purpose.
Accession by Sierra Leone
The United States Patent and Trademark Office received notification
from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that Sierra
Leone deposited its instrument of accession of the PCT on March 17,
1997. Sierra Leone will become a Contracting State of the PCT on June
17, 1997. Consequently, nationals and residents of Sierra Leone are
entitled to file international applications under the PCT on and after
June 17, 1997, and from the same date it is possible to file
international applications designating and electing Sierra Leone
(country code: SL).
Listing of PCT Member Countries
Date of Deposit Entry into
Country Instrument of Instrument Force1
(1) Central African Accession 15 September 1971 24 January 1978
Republic2
(2) Senegal2 Ratification 08 March 1972 24 January 1978
(3) Madagascar Ratification 27 March 1972 24 January 1978
(4) Malawi5 Accession 16 May 1972 24 January 1978
(5) Cameroon2 Accession 15 March 1973 24 January 1978
(6) Chad2 Accession 12 February 1974 24 January 1978
(7) Togo2 Ratification 28 January 1975 24 January 1978
(8) Gabon2 Accession 06 March 1975 24 January 1978
(9) United States Ratification 26 November 1975 24 January 1978
of America
(10) Germany3 Ratification 19 July 1976 24 January 1978
(11) Congo2 Accession 08 August 1977 24 January 1978
(12) Switzerland3 Ratification 14 September 1977 24 January 1978
(13) United Kingdom3 Ratification 24 October 1977 24 January 1978
(14) France3 Ratification 25 November 1977 25 February 1978
(15) Russian Ratification 29 December 1977 29 March 1978
Federation6
(16) Brazil Ratification 09 January 1978 09 April 1978
(17) Luxembourg3 Ratification 31 January 1978 30 April 1978
(18) Sweden3 Ratification 17 February 1978 17 May 1978
(19) Japan Ratification 01 July 1978 01 October 1978
(20) Denmark3 Ratification 01 September 1978 01 December 1978
(21) Austria3 Ratification 23 January 1979 23 April 1979
(22) Monaco3 Ratification 22 March 1979 22 June 1979
(23) Netherlands3 Ratification 10 April 1979 10 July 1979
(24) Romania Ratification 23 April 1979 23 July 1979
(25) Norway Ratification 01 October 1979 01 January 1980
(26) Liechtenstein3 Accession 19 December 1979 19 March 1980
(27) Australia Accession 31 December 1979 31 March 1980
(28) Hungary Ratification 27 March 1980 27 June 1980
(29) Democratic Accession 08 April 1980 08 July 1980
People's Republic
ofKorea
(North Korea)
(30) Finland Ratification 01 July 1980 01 October 1980
(31) Belgium3 Ratification 14 September 1981 14 December 1981
(32) Sri Lanka Accession 26 November 1981 26 February 1982
(33) Mauritania2 Accession 13 January 1983 13 April 1983
(34) Sudan5 Accession 16 January 1984 16 April 1984
(35) Bulgaria Accession 21 February 1984 21 May 1984
(36) Republic of Korea Accession 10 May 1984 10 August 1984
(South Korea)
(37) Mali2 Accession 19 July 1984 19 October 1984
(38) Barbados Accession 12 December 1984 12 March 1985
(39) Italy3 Ratification 28 December 1984 28 March 1985
(40) Benin2 Accession 26 November 1986 26 February 1987
(41) Burkina Faso2 Accession 21 December 1988 21 March 1989
(42) Spain3 Accession 16 August 1989 16 November 1989
(43) Canada Ratification 02 October 1989 02 January 1990
(44) Greece3 Accession 09 July 1990 09 October 1990
(45) Poland Accession 25 September 1990 25 December 1990
(46) Cote d'Ivoire2 Ratification 31 January 1991 30 April 1991
(47) Guinea2 Accession 27 February 1991 27 May 1991
(48) Mongolia Accession 27 February 1991 27 May 1991
(49) Czech Republic Declaration4 18 December 1992 01 January 1993
(50) Ireland3 Ratification 01 May 1992 01 August 1992
(51) Portugal3 Accession 24 August 1992 24 November 1992
(52) New Zealand Accession 01 September 1992 01 December 1992
(53) Ukraine Declaration4 21 September 1992 25 December 1991
(54) Viet Nam Accession 10 December 1992 10 March 1993
(55) Slovakia Declaration4 30 December 1992 01 January 1993
(56) Niger2 Accession 21 December 1992 21 March 1993
(57) Kazakstan6 Declaration4 16 February 1993 25 December 1991
(58) Belarus6 Declaration4 14 April 1993 25 December 1991
(59) Latvia Accession 07 June 1993 07 September 1993
(60) Uzbekistan Declaration4 18 August 1993 25 December 1991
(61) China Accession 01 October 1993 01 January 1994
(62) Slovenia Accession 01 December 1993 01 March 1994
(63) Trinidad and Accession 10 December 1993 10 March 1994
Tobago
(64) Georgia Declaration4 18 January 1994 25 December 1991
(65) Kyrgyzstan6 Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
(66) Republic of Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
Moldova6
(67) Tajikistan Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
(68) Kenya5 Accession 08 March 1994 08 June 1994
(69) Lithuania Accession 05 April 1994 05 July 1994
(70) Armenia6 Declaration4 17 May 1994 25 December 1991
(71) Estonia Accession 24 May 1994 24 August 1994
(72) Liberia Accession 27 May 1994 27 August 1994
(73) Swaziland5 Accession 20 June 1994 20 September 1994
(74) Mexico Accession 01 October 1994 01 January 1995
(75) Uganda5 Accession 09 November 1994 09 February 1995
(76) Singapore Accession 23 November 1994 23 February 1995
(77) Iceland Accession 23 December 1994 23 March 1995
(78) Turkmenistan6 Declaration4 01 March 1995 25 December 1991
(79) The former Accession 10 May 1995 10 August 1995
Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia
(80) Albania Accession 04 July 1995 04 October 1995
(81) Lesotho5 Accession 21 July 1995 21 October 1995
(82) Azerbaijan6 Accession 25 September 1995 25 December 1995
(83) Turkey Accession 01 October 1995 01 January 1996
(84) Israel Ratification 01 March 1996 01 June 1996
(85) Cuba Accession 16 April 1996 16 July 1996
(86) Saint Lucia Accession 30 May 1996 30 August 1996
(87) Bosnia and Accession 07 June 1996 07 September 1996
Herzegovina
(88) Federal Republic Ratification 01 November 1996 01 February 1997
of Yugoslavia7
(89) Ghana5 Accession 26 November 1996 26 February 1997
(90) Zimbabwe5 Accession 11 March 1997 11 June 1997
(91) Sierra Leone Accession 17 March 1997 17 June 1997
1 Although the PCT entered into force on January 24, 1978, the Assembly
of the PCT Union fixed June 1, 1978, as the date from which
international applications could be filed and demands for international
preliminary examination could be submitted.
2 Member of African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) regional
patent system.
3 Member of European Patent Convention (EPC) regional patent system.
4 Declaration of continued application.
5 Member of African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO)
regional patent system.
6 Member of Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) regional patent system.
7 The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is comprised of the Republics of
Serbia and Montenegro. The World Intellectual Property Organization has
utilized the two-letter code "YU" to refer to the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia becoming a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The United
States understands that the scope of the territory covered by the
designation encompasses only the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro.
May 9, 1997 BRUCE A. LEHMAN
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks