WIPO recently released a new version of ePCT and it has many changes that are helpful for applicants. Now WIPO will be offering a webinar that reviews and explains some of those changes.
Every user of the PCT system ought to attend.
In the one-hour webinar session, the nice people from WIPO will introduce new features and improvements in the ePCT version that was released on January 24, 2023.
Requesting access rights. In the past, the requesting of access rights after filing was a bit complicated, and often involved the IB having to mail out a document containing a Secret Code Number that the requester would use to obtain the access rights. This version brings an improved process for requesting access rights to international applications in ePCT after filing. In a live demo, WIPO people will present various scenarios of the new process.
External signatures. One of the ways to obtain signatures on Declarations under Rule 4.17(iv) is the “external signature” function in ePCT. In the past, it was a bit awkward obtaining a set of external signatures if two or more would-be signers were involved. If the time ran out and not all would-be signers had signed, the process would expire and it was necessary to start all over again. This new version of ePCT makes it easier to round up such signatures.
Other new things in ePCT that will be discussed include:
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- a new file type for an XML specification
- a new online payment method for RO/IB
- subject options for ePCT messages
Many potential attendees will, of course, want to do homework ahead of the webinar itself so as to be familiar with the points being covered. You can study this PCT knowledge base article which discusses the applicant-facing changes in this new version of ePCT.
The webinar is free of charge, and will be offered twice, for the benefit of attendees in various time zones around the world. For attendees in North and South America, the likely most convenient webinar will be a webinar on February 23, 2023 from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM Mountain Time. To register for that webinar, click HERE. The other webinar, likely to be most convenient for those in Europe and Africa, will be on February 21, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Switzerland Time. To register for that webinar, click HERE.
Having just filed an ePCT yesterday – Yes, lots has changed. I had read all the information, downloaded the ‘templates’ provided and even completed a test filing of the old system.
I am now registered to attend this WIPO webinar & I had already decided that I needed to read all the “helpful” information beforehand, rather than trying to read it whilst in the process of preparing & filing an application (“c’est la vie”).
Thanks, I’m already registered 🙂
Thanks for passing this information along. Did I miss your second set of ePCT webinars for the “power users?” I participated in the first set and found them very helpful.
Thanks,