Patent Policy

The patent group of Policy and International Affairs specializes in patent-related domestic and international policy and enforcement matters. This group is tasked with ensuring implementation and adherence with international treaty obligations relating to patents and trade. The group is further responsible for advising on negotiations and monitoring enforcement of treaty provisions relating to patent and trade issues, as well as providing technical assistance and training on patent-related matters for both US and foreign officials. For example, the patent group has been involved with the development, negotiation, and monitoring of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and the Patent Law Treaty (PLT). For further information on these issues and treaties, please visit the following links below:

WORKSHARING AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

• IP5
• Trilateral Activities
• Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

DESIGNS

• Hague Agreement

• ID5, the Industrial Design Forum (EUIPO, JPO, KIPO, SIPO, and USPTO)

HARMONIZATION

• Tegernsee Experts Group
• Roundtable on International Harmonization of Substantive Patent Law

SELECT MULTILATERAL TREATIES

• Budapest Treaty
• Patent Law Treaty (PLT)
• TRIPS: Trade-Related Aspects of IP Rights
• UPOV: International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

OTHER IMPORTANT INITIATIVES

• Roundtable 2: Exploring Legal Contours of Patent Subject Matter Eligibility
• Patent Small Claims Proceedings in the United States
• Attributable Owner
• Roundtable on Privileged Communications With Patent Practitioners
• Patent Applications related to Genetic Resources or Traditional Knowledge

Related Links

• WIPO IP laws for all member countries
• Trilateral
• IP5
• Traditional Knowledge and Genetic Resources