Following its Action Plan for 2018, the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) continues expanding international cooperation through Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreements. The new agreement was signed with the Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO) on April 12, during the Management Forum between both institutes.
Through the PPH agreement, a patent application already granted in Brazil may have its examination fast-tracked in Denmark (and vice-versa), which can reduce the examination backlog from about ten years to nine months. The PPH between the BPTO and DKPTO will admit up to 100 patent applications per year in each country during this pilot phase, which should last for the following 2 (two) years. The BPTO will only receive patent applications in technological fields related to mechanical engineering, lighting, heating, weapons and explosion.
Currently, Brazil has PPH projects with Japan, United States, China, the European Patent Office and the Latin American countries that are part of the project called Prosur, and United Kindom.
The full press statement is available (in Portuguese) at http://www.inpi.gov.br/noticias/brasil-e-dinamarca-firmam-acordo-de-pph/view