We are now closed for the Christmas and New Year period, returning on Monday 5th January 2026. Orders placed during this time will be processed upon our return on 5th January.
The introduction of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement has established a global patent system requiring a high standard of patent protection. However, any consequential increase in patent applications will further strain the resources of patent offices worldwide. A monolithic ""World Patent Office"" granting ""World Patents"" will most likely remain a utopian idea but the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) has successfully demonstrated how to emulate a ""World Patent Office"" processing ""World Patent Applications"". The current PCT only goes halfway towards the grant of a patent, hence, the logical step to handle an increase in patent applications would be to further develop the PCT towards a patent grant procedure. This has been recognized and in late 2000, the Assembly of the PCT Union decided to set up a special body to consider a formal request by the United States for a ""Reform of the Patent Cooperation Treaty"".
