Peru Joins The Global Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program

On January 6, 2019, the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property Protection of Peru (INDECOPI) joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) Pilot Program.

The aim of the PPH program is to expedite the processing of patent applications and to reduce overlapping examination work done by different patent offices. Under a PPH program, an applicant who has filed a first application with a first patent office and has received a positive opinion that the claims are allowable/patentable, may request fast-track examination of a corresponding application pending at a second office.

The GPPH pilot program allows patent applicants to request accelerated examination of a patent application at any of the participating offices if its claims have been found to be acceptable by any of the other participating offices. The system includes both national and PCT applications.