The Canadian IP Office is to start pilot patent prosecution highway programmes with the JPO, KIPO and DKPTO

The head of the Canadian IP Office has signed deals to launch three two-year pilot PPH schemes to allow applicants from these countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. It also will permit CIPO, the Japan Patent Office, the Danish Patent and Trade Mark Office and the Korean Intellectual Property Office to benefit from work previously done by the other country's patent office.

The Canadian IP Office said this would reduce examination workload and improve patent quality.

The pilot programmes started on October 1 and will be similar to the Canada-US PPH pilot project that will run to January 28 2011.

During the pilots, the Canadian office will process requests for accelerated examination under the PPH programme free of charge, but said that it will decide what, if any, fees will be payable if the schemes become permanent.