Singapore’s accelerated examination channels – Fast Track/PPH/GPPH/ASEAN

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) provides patent applicants with three paths for substantive examination, and also provides patent applicants with multiple channels for accelerated examination.

First, domestic application acceleration procedure (SG IP Fast Track): On May 1, 2020, IPOS launched the SG Patent Fast Track program to support the acceleration of patent applications in all fields of technology. The program was subsequently expanded on September 1, 2020, allowing applicants who accelerate patent applications under the program to simultaneously apply to accelerate related trademark and design applications. The SG IP FAST pilot program lasts until December 31, 2024. The monthly limit for accelerated invention patent applications under SG IP FAST is 10, and the limit for patent applications for each entity (individual or company) is 2. The limit will be reset on the first day of each month.

• Simple patent applications can be granted in as little as 6 months
• Indirect patent applications can be granted in as little as 9 months

The second type, Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) , is a work-sharing program that speeds up the examination of patent applications by referring to the examination results of another intellectual property office. In 2023, 94% of Singapore patent applications were granted through the PPH route. IPOS promised to issue the first examination opinion within 10 months after the PPH request was approved. 70% of patent applications were granted with only one examination opinion. PPH requests can be filed at any time before the start of substantive examination.

Required documents:

• Corresponding or related patent applications for the same invention filed in IPOS and any of IPOS’s PPH partner offices
• Claims determined to be allowable or patentable in an application filed with IPOS or any of IPOS’s PPH partner offices
• A PPH request can be filed at any time before the examination.
• Submit Form 11 or Form 12 to request a search and a substantive examination, select the "ASPEC/PPH" checkbox on Form 11 or Form 12, and attach relevant PPH documents.

IPOS has implemented the PPH pilot program with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the Mexican Industrial Property Institute (IMPI), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Saudi Arabian Intellectual Property Office (SAIP) and the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI France).

Third, IPOS is also one of the participating offices in the "Global Patent Application Highway" (GPPH) pilot program, which has more than 27 participating offices. The GPPH network includes the Japan Patent Office, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the German Patent and Trademark Office. Under the GPPH pilot program, requests for accelerated examination of IPOS patent applications can be made based on patent search and examination results established by any other GPPH participating office or international search and/or examination results under the PCT.

The fourth, ASEAN Project, ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation ("ASPEC") was launched on June 15, 2009. It is a regional patent work sharing program between the IP offices of the nine ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). Applicants can use the search and examination ("S&E") reports of participating IP offices to speed up the patent application process in any other participating IP office. Starting from August 27, 2019, applicants can enjoy two new features of ASPEC:

• ASPEC AIM: ASPEC requests can be filed for Industry 4.0 patent applications, promising to receive the first examination opinion within 6 months
• PCT-ASPEC: Additional option to rely on search reports or preliminary examination reports issued by ASEAN International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities, namely the Patent Offices of Singapore and the Philippines

- Fast-track patent application processing at any of the 9 ASEAN IP Offices using one common form at no additional cost
- English is the accepted language, saving translation costs
- ASPEC requests can be made electronically through the ASEAN Intellectual Property Portal
- For ASPEC applications filed on or after June 15, 2021, all participating AMS IP offices, except the Thai IP Office, may accept written opinions as S&E results

Unlike other countries, IPOS also provides an accelerated examination channel for design patent applications and trademark registrations. Since September 1, 2020, the SG IP Fast Track program has also been expanded to trademarks and registered designs. Under this program, design patent applications can be authorized within 1 month at the earliest.