Canada signs WIPO Patent Treaty Law

Canada has signed the new Patent Treaty Law (PLT) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in a move to simpilfy and harmonize administrative practice among national and regional intellectual property (IP) offices. The accord is designed to stimulate innovation, encourage the use of IP systems and facilitate access by Canadians to foreign IP offices. The signing is largely protocol and Canada must now launch a ratification process and amend its national patent law to conform with the treaty’s provisions, a process that could take up to five years. Although 47 nations have now signed the PLT, none has ratified it. Canada is largely compliant already except in the area of filing procedures. In the last Throne Speech, the government pledged to modernize Canada’s patent law to promote innovation by streamlining the process for filing and processing applications. FMI: www.wipo.int/....