WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) launched the new multilingual interface of ePCT portal, marking a major expansion of its global gateway for online filing and management
of international patent applications. After an initial pilot phase that was limited to English, the ePCT user interface is now available in the other nine languages of international publication under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. This will contribute significantly to increased use of the ePCT system in countries where a language other than English predominates. “The launch of the multilingual interface is an important milestone in the continued evolution of ePCT, which provides a unique global gateway to national and regional patent systems”, said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. “The introduction of these new languages increases the PCT’s accessibility for applicants and patent offices worldwide”. Among the benefits of the ePCT is an automatic checking function during the preparation phase, ensuring the validity of the data provided, and reducing and potentially eliminating errors before filing. After filing, ePCT allows both applicants and patent offices to manage international applications in a paperless environment, saving time and money.
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