CNIPA launches Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program

From 8 June 2024 to 7 June 2029, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) will be implementing a bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program in partnership with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). When using the PPH, an applicant which receives a positive examination in one jurisdiction can request expedited examination of a corresponding application in the other where certain requirements are met. When moving from China to ARIPO, for instance, the applicant must submit a request for accelerated examination either after or alongside a request for substantive examination. The corresponding claims are then considered in light of the responses already provided by the CNIPA Examiner. Implementation of a PPH between ARIPO and China has the potential to speed up prosecution by cutting down on duplicative work by different examining jurisdictions, but as ever, the value to applicants will depend on their particular circumstances and the state of their patent applications.