Patent Law Treaty

U.S. Joins Patent Law Treaty as a Contracting Party in 2013

United States views on international law [1] in relation to U.S. Joins Patent Law Treaty as a Contracting Party: On September 18, 2013, U.S. Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Betty King deposited the U.S. instrument of ratification for the Patent Law Treaty (“PLT”) with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”), Dr. Francis Gurry. On December 18, 2013, the United States became a Contracting Party, bringing the total number of Contracting Parties to the PLT to 36. “The Treaty will benefit not only U.S. patent applicants and patentees but those of all PLT Contracting Parties looking to protect their inventions, efficiently and cost-effectively,” said Ambassador King. The announcement of the U.S. joining the PLT is available on the website of the U.S. Mission to Geneva at (link resource) geneva.usmission.gov/2013/09/18/patent-law-treaty-wipo/. As explained in that announcement, “[t]he PLT harmonizes certain patent application procedures in order to reduce or eliminate formalities and the potential for loss of rights.” President Obama signed the Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act of 2012 on December 18, 2012, and it took effect on December 18, 2013.

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Notes

1. U.s. Joins Patent Law Treaty as a Contracting Party in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law