The aim of these articles is to keep our Clients and Associates updated about developments in the sector of Intellectual Property in general and our firm in particular. In this way, we wish to provide a broader view of the tools that the field of trade marks, domain names, patents, designs and related rights offers to entrepreneurs to enhance and protect their efforts in researching and developing new solutions and ideas.
EPO and China: A New Permanent PPH Channel to Accelerate Your Patents
As you know, the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program represents a key mechanism for accelerating patent prosecution before a target Patent Office by leveraging positive examination work performed by partner offices.
Among the European Patent Office’s various collaborative agreements of this nature, its partnership with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has long held strategic importance for many businesses.
In this regard, we would like to highlight an important update: the EPO and CNIPA have signed a new bilateral PPH agreement, which will enter into force on 1 August 2026.
Although a PPH channel between the EPO and CNIPA was already operational under the IP5 multilateral framework—the cooperative network uniting the world’s five major patent offices (the aforementioned EPO and CNIPA, the USPTO in the USA, the JPO in Japan, and the KIPO in South Korea)—the new bilateral agreement introduces a major enhancement: an indefinite duration.
Unlike the IP5 multilateral framework, which is subject to periodic renewals and extensions, this direct agreement provides long-term stability and continuity. This guarantees a permanent legal framework of certainty for applicants seeking expedited protection for their inventions in both Europe and the Chinese market, while retaining all the classic advantages of the PPH:
- Accelerated examination and grant timelines;
- No additional official fees for filing the request;
- Re-use of search and examination work already conducted by the partner office.
If your Clients have pending or planned patent applications in Europe and China and wish to explore utilizing the accelerated PPH procedure, our patent attorneys are available to help you determine the most effective strategy.