PRH has been one of the few PCT authorities for 20 years
The Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) has worked as a searching authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for 20 years. When the PRH became a searching authority on 1 April 2005, there were only 11 other such authorities: USA, Canada, Russia, Spain, Japan, Australia, China, Republic of Korea, Austria, Sweden, and the European Patent Office (EPO). Today, there are 25 searching authorities.
Thanks to the PCT system, an international patent procedure can be started by filing a single application, which gives the applicant the option of a patent in all the 158 countries that have joined the PCT. A PCT application is filed with a receiving office and is processed by an international PCT authority.
Increased international popularity
The PCT system entered into force in 1978. The system is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The number of PCT applications has increased steadily. When Finland started as a searching authority, the number of PCT applications filed globally was just over 120,000 per year. In 2024, the number of applications was more than double this number at around 274,300.
Last year, the PRH’s examiners examined the novelty of 184 PCT applications and patentability of 18 applications.
Valid for 10 years at a time
The status as a PCT authority is valid for 10 years at a time. The PRH’s current contract with the WIPO will expire at the end of 2027, and preparations for a contract extension have already begun.
As a PCT authority, the PRH offers Finnish companies an opportunity to have service in Finnish, which can facilitate access to the international market, particularly for small and medium-sized companies. In addition, the PRH has focused on the quality of its patent application examination. The PRH’s status as a PCT authority has also required it to develop and continuously improve its quality management systems.
Read more about international PCT applications at prh.fi.
For further information, please contact
Mika Kotala
Head of Unit
firstname.lastname@prh.fi
Tel. +358 29 509 5460