U.S. and Brazil Partner on Program To Improve Patent Quality
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Brazil’s National Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) recently agreed to establish a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program to reduce patent workloads and further improve patent quality. The program is the centerpiece of the two countries’ Joint Statement on Patent Work Sharing, which was signed on June 30, 2015. PPH agreements aim to streamline the patent examination process by promoting efficient, less costly, and more effective patent protection. The USPTO and INPI plan to launch the two-year pilot program on January 11, 2016.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Michelle Lee noted that this cooperative initiative will strengthen the economic relationship between both countries, and further highlight their commitment to provide a high quality and efficient intellectual property system to make it easier for innovators to conduct business globally.
