This is a page for PCT users.

We have set up an email discussion group for PCT users. To join or to unsubscribe or to learn how to post messages, see this page.

Topics to be discussed in this group include the following:




How to e-file a "demo" PCT application.

Status of efforts to accomplish cross-platform e-filings



Fee reductions

It is interesting to note that WIPO has set up a scale of fee reductions that relate to the extent to which the filer has saved work for the Receiving Office.

  1. Pure paper filing. With the changes described here, a filer can still file a pure paper PCT patent application. Such a filing is, of course, quite easy to do just as one has filed PCT applications for many years. One drawback is that such a filing does not qualify for any fee reductions.
  2. Paper filing with diskette (former PCT-Easy practice). Many filers have been using PCT-Easy for many years. From the point of view of the Receiving Office, the diskette provided by the filer makes it easy to create the "front page" of the PCT publication. The diskette provides the bibliographic information needed to populate many of the forms and databases used by the RO and the ISA and the IPEA. The fee reduction compared with a pure paper filing is now 100 Swiss Francs.
  3. E-filing in PDF format. A few Receiving Offices, soon to include RO/IB, are willing to receive e-filed PCT applications in which the patent specification and drawings are provided as PDF files. With this type of e-filing, a chief advantage for the Receiving Office is that the filer is providing most of the bibliographic information in computer-readable form, just as in a "diskette" filing as mentioned above. In addition the Receiving Office is saved from having to do an optical scan of the specification and drawings. The fee reduction as compared with a pure paper filing is now 200 Swiss Francs.
  4. E-filing in XML format. A few Receiving Offices, soon to include RO/IB, are willing to receive e-filed PCT applications in which the patent specification and drawings are provided as XML files. With this type of e-filing, one advantage for the Receiving Office is that the filer is providing most of the bibliographic information in computer-readable form, just as in a "diskette" filing as mentioned above. In addition the Receiving Office is saved from having to do an optical scan of the specification and drawings. Importantly, the actual text of the patent application is in computer-readable characters and thus is easy to load into the WIPO full-text database. Such text would also be available to ISAs and IPEAs and might help them do their work. Entry into the national stage (EO/DO practice) would also be enhanced as the text would also be made available to the national-stage patent offices. The fee reduction as compared with a pure paper filing is now 300 Swiss Francs.

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