INAPI will start working as PCT ISA/IPEA as from this October
The Chilean National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) was appointed as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) for patents filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in October 2012. Due to the implementation process which is being conducted by INAPI, last May Mr. Rolando Hernández, Head of the Office Services Section, PCT International Cooperation Division of WIPO, met in Chile with the main parties involved with the Industrial Property in the country in order to inform them about the last developments of the PCT system and the role that INAPI will play as one of the 19 PCT ISA/IPEA authorities worldwide.
Additionally, Mr. Hernández´s agenda included, among other activities, carrying out a training course for INAPI patent examiners, regarding both legal and procedural issues to take into account when working as a PCT ISA/IPEA.
On June 4, 2014, Maximiliano Santa Cruz, Director General of INAPI and Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO, signed an agreement at the WIPO office in Geneva that makes official the start of INAPI as PCT ISA/IPEA from October 22, 2014. This agreement establishes the conditions, rights and obligations under which INAPI will carry out its role as ISA/IPEA for Chilean applicants as well as Latin American and Caribbean PCT-member applicants that design INAPI as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA).
Chile is the second Spanish-speaking country and the second Latin American country to become a PCT ISA/IEPA (after Spain and Brazil, respectively).
