The Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) agreed to continue cooperation on the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program (PPH Program) for one year since April 1, 2021.

The decision to extend cooperation on the PPH Program, which was commenced on April 1, 2018 on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding on the PPH Program between EAPO and CNIPA, was agreed by the two Offices at the beginning of this year.

The Offices will further discuss the development and expansion of the existing PPH Program, taking into account the prospects of the EAPO appointment as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Along with CNIPA, the EAPO runs permanent PPH Programs with the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), as well as pilot programs with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH).