1 de December de 2015

Newsletter 2015.14 – Brazil-USA PPH Pilot Program For Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries

The patent offices of Brazil and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that inaugurates a new era of cooperation between them. A copy of this memorandum is enclosed.

A Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program is a bi-lateral agreement stipulating that each of the two signing countries may make use of the results of searches and examinations conducted by the other. This allows for faster examination and is specifically aimed at decreasing the backlog that is affecting all offices.

The MoU, signed a few days ago, foresees the implementation of a pilot program that will contemplate 150 patent applications originating from each of the two offices. The program is expected to operate between 11 January 2016 and 10 January 2018 and will accept requests for accelerated examination until this term ends or the application quota is filled.

Acceptance of an application into the program presupposes the fulfilment of some conditions which are not the same for both sides. Most importantly, Brazil will limit its efforts to applications in the areas of oil, gas and petrochemistry that have been filed no more than three years before the starting day of the program. The USA will not impose the same limitations, accepting cases in any technological area.

The implementing rules in Brazil are to be published by the Patent Office in the near future.

Please, contact us should you wish more details on this auspicious initiative.

An update on the matter will be sent as soon as further implementation ruling is announced.

For more detailed information on this matter, please contact us via e-mail through mail@kasznarleonardos.com.

See file

Back

Last related news

20 de October de 2025

Brazil enacts the ECA Digital: a landmark law for children’s rights in the Digital Age

Last month, Brazil took a major step toward regulating the digital environment for children and adolescents with the enactment of the ECA … Brazil enacts the ECA Digital: a landmark law for children’s rights in the Digital Age

Fernanda Magalhães

17 de October de 2025

New Rules for Clinical Research: Federal Government Bets on Regulation to Boost Innovation and Investment

Brazil, despite being among the top 20 countries in terms of the number of clinical trials, contributes less than 2% of global … New Rules for Clinical Research: Federal Government Bets on Regulation to Boost Innovation and Investment

Kasznar Leonardos

13 de October de 2025

2025 Nobel Prize in Economics: innovation as an engine of transformation

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences recognized Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their theoretical contributions on how innovation … 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics: innovation as an engine of transformation