Starting from August 1, 2023, the Chilean Intellectual Property Office (INAPI) has officially become the International Search Agency (ISA) and the International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) for Brazilian applicants. As a result, Brazilian applicants now have the option of processing their patent applications through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with international intellectual property offices. Vice versa, the Brazilian INPI can also serve as an ISA/IPEA for Chilean or settled applicants.
Brazil and Chile have signed a cooperation agreement. Based on the services provided by the patent offices of the two countries as the PCT international competent authorities, the two countries can become each other's PCT search authority ISA or international preliminary examination authority IPEA.
This mutual agreement further consolidates the strength of INAPI and INPI in the field of intellectual property in Latin America, demonstrating that they remain the only two institutions in the region to hold the IPO and IPO PCT marks.
INAPI Chile also signed a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreement with the European Patent Office (EPO) in July 2023.
In addition, Chile and the European Patent Office (EPO) signed a cooperation agreement covering information exchange, strategic exchange and effective promotion between the two offices. The initial validity period of the cooperation between the two parties is 5 years. The cooperation between INAPI and EPO in these two areas not only strengthens the promotion of intellectual property affairs and investment in the international field, but also hopes to improve the international patent system.
