Patent Cooperation Treaty Update The Assembly of the International Patent Cooperation Union (PCT Union), in a meeting held in Geneva from September 7 to 15, 1998, decided to reduce the maximum number of designation fees payable for PCT international applications from 11 to 10. This reduction will take effect from January 1, 1999. The Assembly also decided to provide applicants who prepare their PCT international applications using the "PCT-EASY" (Electronic Application SYstem) software and meet certain other conditions with a reduction of $140.00 in their PCT international fees. to obtain the reduction, the international application must be filed with a computer printout of the request prepared using the PCT-EASY software, a copy of the request in electronic form prepared using that software and a copy of the abstract in electronic form. This reduction will also be available January 1, 1999. December 8, 1998 Q. TODD DICKINSON Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Deputy Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks