Singapore named ASEAN’s first international authority in patent search and examination

It’s another step in the country’s bid to be an intellectual property hub.

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore gained another feather in its cap after it was named an International Authority in Patent Search and Examination under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

IPOS revealed today that the appointment was made on 25 September 2014 by the Assembly of the PCT Union during the 54th World Intellectual Property Organization Assemblies, and is targeted to be effective in early 2015.
IPOS will function specifically as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority.

The search and examination of PCT applications can only be conducted by appointed International Authorities known as ISAs and IPEAs. 

The ability to do PCT search and examination will add to the suite of IP services that IPOS offers to innovators and businesses, bringing more IP related work and employment to Singapore and strengthening Singapore’s proposition as an IP hub in Asia.

There are currently 17 IP offices across the world being appointed to act as ISAs and IPEAs. IPOS, working together with the Singapore Permanent Mission in Geneva, was successful in its bid to become the first IP Office appointed out of the ASEAN region and the fifth in Asia, after China, India, Japan and Korea.