Patent Cooperation Treaty Update
Accession by Albania
The United States Patent and Trademark Office received notification from
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that Albania
deposited its instrument of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty
(PCT) on July 4, 1995. Albania will become the 80th Contracting State
of the PCT on October 4, 1995. Consequently, nationals and residents
of Albania are entitled to file international applications under the PCT
on and after October 4, 1995, and from the same date it is possible to
file international applications designating and electing Albania
(country code: AL).
Accession by Lesotho
The United States Patent and Trademark Office received notification from
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that Lesotho
deposited its instrument of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty
(PCT) on July 21, 1995. Lesotho will become the 81st Contracting State
of the PCT on October 21, 1995. Consequently, nationals and residents
of Lesotho are entitled to file international applications under the PCT
on and after October 21, 1995, and from the same date it is possible to
file international applications designating and electing Lesotho
(country code: LS).
Since Lesotho is a member State of the Harare Protocol within the
framework of the African Regional Industrial Property Organization
(ARIPO), Lesotho will be able to be designated for a patent granted
by ARIPO. Any designation in an international application for an ARIPO
patent will, as from October 21, 1995, automatically include the
designation of Lesotho for that purpose.
Listing of PCT Member Countries
Date of Deposit Entry into
Country Instrument of Instrument Force1
(1) Central African
Republic2 Accession 15 September 1971 24 January 1978
(2) Senegal2 Ratification 08 March 1972 24 January 1978
(3) Madagascar Ratification 27 March 1972 24 January 1978
(4) Malawi 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
of America Ratification 26 November 1975 24 January 1978
(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 Feb 1978
(15) Russian Federation Ratification 29 December 1977 29 March 1978
(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 Dec 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
People's Republic
of Korea
(North Korea) Accession 08 April 1980 08 July 1980
(30) Finland Ratification 01 July 1980 01 October 1980
(31) Belgium3 Ratification 14 September 1981 14 Dec 1981
(32) Sri Lanka Accession 26 November 1981 26 Feb 1982
(33) Mauritania2 Accession 13 January 1983 13 April 1983
(34) Sudan Accession 16 January 1984 16 April 1984
(35) Bulgaria Accession 21 February 1984 21 May 1984
(36) Republic of Korea
(South Korea) Accession 10 May 1984 10 August 1984
(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 Feb 1987
(41) Burkina Faso2 Accession 21 December 1988 21 March 1989
(42) Spain3 Accession 16 August 1989 16 Nov 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 Dec 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 Nov 1992
(52) New Zealand Accession 01 September 1992 01 Dec 1992
(53) Ukraine Declaration4 21 September 1992 25 Dec 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) Kazakhstan Declaration4 16 February 1993 25 Dec 1991
(58) Belarus Declaration4 14 April 1993 25 Dec 1991
(59) Latvia Accession 07 June 1993 07 Sept 1993
(60) Uzbekistan Declaration4 18 August 1993 25 Dec 1991
(61) China Accession 01 October 1993 01 January 1994
(62) Slovenia Accession 01 December 1993 01 March 1994
(63) Trinidad and
Tobago Accession 10 December 1993 10 March 1994
(64) Georgia Declaration4 18 January 1994 25 Dec 1991
(65) Kyrgyzstan Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 Dec 1991
(66) Republic of
Moldova Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 Dec 1991
(67) Tajikistan Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 Dec 1991
(68) Kenya Accession 08 March 1994 08 June 1994
(69) Lithuania Accession 05 April 1994 05 July 1994
(70) Armenia Declaration4 17 May 1994 25 Dec 1991
(71) Estonia Accession 24 May 1994 24 August 1994
(72) Liberia Accession 27 May 1994 27 August 1994
(73) Swaziland Accession 20 June 1994 20 Sept 1994
(74) Mexico Accession 01 October 1994 01 January 1995
(75) Uganda Accession 09 November 1994 09 Feb 1995
(76) Singapore Accession 23 November 1994 23 Feb 1995
(77) Iceland Accession 23 December 1994 23 March 1995
(78) Turkmenistan Declaration4 01 March 1995 25 Dec 1991
(79) The former
Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia Accession 10 May 1995 10 August 1995
(80) Albania Accession 04 July 1995 04 October 1995
(81) Lesotho Accession 21 July 1995 21 October 1995
1Although 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.
2Members of African Intellectual Property Organization(OAPI) regional
patent system. Only regional patent protection is available for OAPI
countries. A designation of any country is an indication that all OAPI
countries have been designated. Only one designation fee is due regardless
of the number of OAPI member countries designated.
3Member of European Patent Convention(EPC) regional patent system. Either
national or European patents for member countries are available through
PCT, except for France, Monaco, Belgium, Italy, Greece and Ireland for
which only European patents are available if PCT is used. Note: Only one
designation fee is due if European regional patent protection is sought
for one, several or all EPC member countries under the PCT.
4Declaration of continued application.
August 14, 1995 BRUCE A. LEHMAN
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks