This book, published in 1995, is intended to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

Comprehensive facts, figures and analysis of the international patent system.

2020 marks the 50th year of the coming into force of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Convention 1967 and the formal establishment of WIPO. This unique and wide-ranging Research Handbook brings together eminent scholars and experts who assess WIPO's role and programmes during its first half-century, as well as discussing the challenges facing the organization as it enters its second.

The second edition of this popular textbook has been thoroughly revised, expanded and updated in order to reflect the recent extensive changes in European IP legislation. Providing an in-depth examination of the core areas of IP law, from copyright, patents and trademarks through to the protection of plant varieties and industrial design, it is perfectly pitched to guide the reader through the complexities of the European IP system.

Many applicants use the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) system as a first step to obtain patent protection for their inventions in a large number of countries. This practice-oriented book on the PCT – the only such book available – provides expert guidance on how to carry out the treaty’s procedures, from filing a single international patent application to starting prosecution before a plurality of national Offices. Building from an authoritative overview of the PCT’s sources and how they link to form the legal basis for a complete procedure, the contributors elucidate such invaluable practical details as the following: complete details on filing under the PCT, including the means of filing, fee payments, and priority, both in general and in specific national patent Offices; strategy points for making decisions on options in procedures and for drawing attention to important issues; citations from the Practical Advices published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); differences between several regional and national Offices, such as the EPO and the USPTO; extensive treatment of remedies available in each procedure; guidance through the PCT – Patent Prosecution Highway (PCT-PPH); and extensive linking to international and national resources for the PCT. The authors include legal experts from WIPO and the European Patent Office (EPO), as well as well-known patent law practitioners. With its wealth of guidance ranging from a broad introduction to specific details of procedural strategy, this book will be of immeasurable value in the day-to-day practice of patent attorneys, corporate counsel, and paralegals worldwide. It will be of great use to candidates preparing for exams where a profound knowledge of the PCT is required.