Washington DC, October 2, 2024
A new memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed October 1 by Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Kathi Vidal, and Director General of the National Institute of Industrial Property of France (INPI France), Pascal Faure, provides a framework for continued cooperation between the two intellectual property (IP) offices regarding the protection and enforcement of IP. The agreement marks a continuation of the USPTO’s long-standing cooperation with INPI France.
“We welcome this new agreement with INPI France, which deepens and extends the already strong relationship that has existed between our two offices for many years,” said USPTO Director Vidal. “This new agreement will build on that history to bring even stronger cooperation on efforts to protect and enforce IP rights in our two countries.”
The MOU calls for exchanging information about new challenges to IP protection and enforcement, collaborating on IP-related training initiatives for local IP and business communities, and promoting the existing Patent Prosecution Highway program between the two offices, which was also extended for an additional five years.
The agreement goes into effect the date of signing and will continue for five years.
For more information about the international protection of IP, visit the USPTO’s Pursuing international IP protection webpage. For more information about the existing USPTO-INPI France Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program, visit the USPTO website.
The Patent Prosecution Highway in Conjunction with the National Institute of Industrial Property of France (INPI)
As of May 25, 2010, the USPTO has eliminated the fee for the petition to make special under the PPH programs.
The trial period for the current PPH pilot program between the USPTO and the INPI commenced on December 1, 2021, and is scheduled to terminate on November 30, 2024. PPH requests based on INPI work product made on or before November 30, 2024, will be treated as timely unless a notice of termination is published earlier.
Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to USPTO:
- Fillable Form SB/20FR (Patent Prosecution Highway Request Form) [PDF]
- Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program Between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the National Institute of Industrial Property of France (INPI)
Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to INPI
Source – USPTO