Egypt, Japan launch patent prosecution highway

Afro Leo learns from the latest (May 2015) AGIP Bulletin that the Egyptian Patent Office and the Japanese Patent Office have agreed to commence a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programme, in order to accelerate the patent grant procedures. The programme actually started this week, on 1 June 2015.

The PPH pilot programme will let Egyptian patent attorneys file requests for accelerated examination, upon request of the Japanese applicant, on the condition that the Egyptian Patent Office has acknowledged patentability of the invention, as well as receiving the necessary documents related to the patent application filed at the Egyptian Patent Office.