Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office

A PPH pilot project between CIPO and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) will commence on January 31, 2012 for a period of two years ending on January 30, 2014. The trial period may be extended if necessary to adequately assess the feasibility of the PPH project.

The objective of the trial is to gauge the interest of applicants and to assess the anticipated benefits to each office. The UKIPO and CIPO will evaluate the results of the pilot project to determine whether the project should be fully implemented after the trial period.

During the pilot, CIPO will process requests for advanced prosecution under the PPH project free of charge. CIPO will evaluate what, if any, fees should apply for this service if it later becomes permanent. Regular fees (Schedule II of the Patent Rules) for requesting examination will continue to apply during the PPH pilot.

The Offices may also terminate the PPH pilot project early if the volume of participation exceeds manageable level. Notice will be published if the PPH pilot project terminates before the January 30, 2014 date.

PPH Requests to CIPO

• Requirements and Procedures to File a Request to CIPO for the PPH
• PPH Pilot Program Request Form

PPH Requests to the UKIPO

How to make a PPH request at the UKIPO

Further Information

Any inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to the PPH Coordinator at pph@ic.gc.ca, or by calling the CIPO Client Service Center at 819-934-0544 or toll-free at 1-866-997-1936.