Videoconference on Procedural Issues of EAPO Application for Appointment as ISA/IPEA

EAPO representatives, coordinators of regional groups of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Member States, representatives of certain countries, as well as the WIPO officials took part in a videoconference on June 10, 2020.

The procedure for scrutiny the EAPO application for appointment as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in the current restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was discussed during the informal meeting.

The participants made proposals on the possible procedure for the PCT Committee for Technical Cooperation with a view to giving its expert advice on the application to the PCT Assembly under the existing circumstances. Such discussion was necessary due to the lack of established WIPO decision-making procedure alternative to physical meetings and absence of consensus among countries and regional groups on the modalities of such a procedure.

At the request of the meeting, WIPO would prepare and circulate to the Committee members a detailed description of the proposed procedure. Its discussion is scheduled for the next meeting in July this year.