1. 1 World Intellectual Property Organization Current status of the e-PCT standard Standard for electronic filing under the PCT SCIT SDWG December 2002 PCT-SAFE: (Secure Applications Filed Electronically) Karl Kalejs

2. 2 e-PCT: Background Known as Part 7 and Annex F to the PCT Administrative Instructions Legal framework and technical standard to enable electronic filing under the PCT Came into effect on January 7, 2002 Widespread consultations over 24 months 5 formal revisions under PCT-SAFE project

3. 3 e-PCT: current Nov 1 2002: Launch of PCT electronic filing by European Patent Office Preparations at several other PCT receiving Offices, for commencing in 2003 PCT-SAFE Pilot at the IB: proof of concept for the standard and system IB as receiving Office expected to implement Q2 2003

4. 4 e-PCT: modifications New section 2.5 of Annex F: –Change procedure for modifications of Annex F –In effect from December 12, 2002 –To be published in PCT Gazette No. 50/2002 on December 12, 2002 –Covers scope, logistics, annual cycle, expedited proposals –Web site for publication, submission of comments, monitoring PFCs etc.: www.wipo.int/pct/efiling_standard/en/welcome.html

5. 5 e-PCT: PFCs 13 PFCs being processed based to an extent on change procedure model December 23, 2002: Comments by interested parties on PFCs 2 to 13 February 10, 2003: Informal draft revision of Annex F published on web site February 24, 2003: Comments on informal draft March 2003: entry into force of new version of Annex F

6. 6 e-PCT: summary of PFCs PCT/EF/PFC 02/001PCT/EF/PFC 02/001 [withdrawn] PCT/EF/PFC 02/002PCT/EF/PFC 02/002 IA Documents Packaging (Annex F, section 4) proposal by the Japan Patent Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/003 PCT/EF/PFC 02/003 Transmission (Annex F, section 5) proposal by the Japan Patent Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/004PCT/EF/PFC 02/004 Package Header (Annex F, Appendix I, section 4.1) proposal by the Japan Patent Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/005PCT/EF/PFC 02/005 DTDs for New PCT applications (E-PCT) (Annex F, Appendix I, section 3) proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/006PCT/EF/PFC 02/006 File Naming Convention (Annex F, addition) proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/007PCT/EF/PFC 02/007 Package Header (Annex F, Appendix I, section 4.1) proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/008PCT/EF/PFC 02/008 Filing Requirements; Basic Common Standard (Part 7, Section 703) proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/009PCT/EF/PFC 02/009 Electronic Packaging (Annex F, sections 5 and 7) proposal by the Korean Intellectual Property Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/010PCT/EF/PFC 02/010 Modifications of XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I) proposal by the European Patent Office, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Japan Patent Office PCT/EF/PFC 02/011PCT/EF/PFC 02/011 Modifications of XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I) proposal by the International Bureau PCT/EF/PFC 02/012PCT/EF/PFC 02/012 New XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I) proposal by the International Bureau PCT/EF/PFC 02/013PCT/EF/PFC 02/013 Paragraph Numbering (Annex F, section 3.1.1.1.1) proposal by the International Bureau

7. 7 e-PCT: SCIT IB and member states active in e-filing will continue to prove and refine the standard Once proven, Annex F will form basis of a generic patent filing SCIT standard SCIT will be required to determine scope of generic e-filing standards: –i.e. should it cover XML, transmission, packaging, signature etc. Determine whether to debate evaluation of Annex F/SCIT standard for other IP systems (trade marks, designs etc).

8. 8 PCT-SAFE: Further information PCT-SAFE Help Desk WIPO 34 chemin des Colombettes 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland tel:(+41-22) 338 95 23 fax:(+41-22) 338 80 40 e-mail: pctsafe.help@wipo.int http://www.wipo.int/pct-safe