IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Programme Extended for Another Three Years

According to a joint decision by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Korean Intellectual Property Offices (KIPO), and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (altogether "IP5"), the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programme will be extended for another three years, from 6 January 2026 to 5 January 2029. The requirements and procedures filing PPH requests under the pilot programme remain unchanged.

PPH is a fast-track patent examination pathway between different countries or regions accelerating the patent examination process through work sharing between patent examination authorities. Since the launch of the first PPH pilot program in November 2011, the CNIPA has established PPH cooperation with 35 national or regional patent examination authorities spanning 86 countries.