Singapore’s IP office starts work as PCT search authority

Singapore’s intellectual property office has started work as an international searching authority (ISA) and international preliminary examining authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

From today, September 1, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) will begin reviewing PCT applications, becoming the 19th office to work as an ISA and IPEA.

IPOS was picked as a searching authority in September last year.

Administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the PCT enables patent applicants to seek protection in 148 countries through a single application.

For every PCT application, the designated search authority will carry out an international search of relevant patent documents and provide a preliminary and non-binding opinion on whether the invention appears to be patentable.

Ng Kok Wan, executive director of IPOS, said: “Working with IP offices across the world and WIPO, we are able to offer businesses and inventors quicker and more affordable access to the global patent system. This is yet another step towards building a creative and innovative Singapore with IP.”

According to IPOS, it currently has a first office action turnaround time of around 60 days for most applications, compared with two to three years at other IP offices.

Singapore is the first ASEAN country to become an ISA and IPEA.