The Patent Cooperation Treaty is an agreement for international cooperation in the field of patents. It is the most significant advancement in international cooperation in this field since the adoption of the Paris Convention itself. It is, however, largely a treaty for rationalization and cooperation with regard to the filing, searching and examination ofpatent applications and the dissemination of the technical information contained therein. The PCT does not provide for the grant of “international patents”. The task and responsibility for granting patents remain exclusively in the hands of the patent Offices of, or acting for, the countries where protection is sought (the “regional Offices”). PCT is a special agreement under the Paris Convention open only to states, which are also party to the Paris Convention. The PCT does not compete with but, in fact, complements the Paris convention.
Introduction:
On 7th September 1998, India deposited its instrument of accession to the PCT and on 7th December 1998 thus became a member of the PCT, as the 98th Contracting State of PCT. Furthermore, nationals and residents of India are entitled to file international applications for patents under PCT at Receiving Office at Patent Office at Delhi.
Principal Objectives of the PCT
The principal objective of the PCT is to simplify and to render more effective and more economical—in the interests of the users of the patent system and the offices that have responsibility for administering it—the previously established means of applying in several countries for patent protection for inventions. Before the introduction of the PCT system, virtually the only means by which protection of an invention could be obtained in several countries was to file a separate application in each country; these applications, each being dealt within isolation, involved repetition of the work of the filing and examination in each country. click below to read the complete article about Patent PCT Application India……
