The Sub-Regional Seminar on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for the Central Asia countries began on December 7, 2022.

Sergey Averkiev, Director of the Examination Department, delivered an opening speech on behalf of the Eurasian Patent Office. He noted the benefits of the PCT system and emphasized that more than 7,000 Eurasian patents are currently maintained in Turkmenistan, the host country of the regional seminar. And about 80% of the patents are granted on PCT applications. Sergey Averkiev also noted that in early November 2022, Turkmenistan recognized the EAPO as a competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority, which will allow applicants from Turkmenistan to go through all the stages of the PCT procedure in one office – the EAPO.

Tomorrow the seminar will be continued by Dmitry Rogozhin, Deputy Director of the EAPO Examining Department – Director of the Formal Examination Division, He will talk about the features and details of the PCT international applications’ entering the regional phase in the EAPO including the requirements for documents, the procedure for submitting the relevant forms, paying fees, as well as compliance with the prescribed time limits and the procedure for restoration of rights in case of missing time limits.

The seminar is organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization in cooperation with the Eurasian Patent Office. Representatives of the State Service for Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, patent attorneys and representatives of state authorities participate in the event on the part of Turkmenistan.