This is the electronic forum of the PCT Working Group.
The forum provides a platform for Offices, applicants and other interested parties to propose and discuss ideas for improving the functioning of the PCT. The forum is divided into two areas:
- Current discussions - this will include proposals and other invitations to make comments and share information. These will generally be posted by the International Bureau, who will closely follow subsequent discussions and make suggestions if necessary. Anyone interested in introducing a new discussion topic should first contact the International Bureau.
- Ideas to improve the PCT - an area where short suggestions may be freely made at any time (the International Bureau will monitor this area, but will not necessarily comment on suggestions made).
The forum aims to facilitate the process of improving the PCT to be as effective as possible for applicants, Offices and third parties (whether they may be affected by patents granted on the basis of international applications, or simply wish to use the information made available by the system more effectively). Access to the forum is consequently provided as follows:
- this forum is freely open for anyone to view;
- anyone may make comments, but they need to have an account and login first.
Comments may be made in any language, but usually no translations will be made. Comments will therefore be most effective in being understood and taken into account by the International Bureau if made in English or French.
Please keep comments as short as possible and relevant, keeping attachments to a minimum. Please also identify any Office, organization or company which you are representing when making comments. Users posting "spam" messages are likely to have their accounts deleted. The International Bureau will review the open nature of the system if there are frequent problems.
To be automatically sent notifications when new proposals or comments are posted on this page, please "watch this space" - from the "Browse" menu at the top of the page, select "advanced"; in the resulting page, click "Start watching this space" from the "Subscribe" box at the bottom left.
Dear colleagues,
Patent Office of Republic of Bulgaria has the following comments:
With regard to the discussed topic of signatures on paper documents, our Office does not find any legal obstacles to the introduction of Section 102bis in the PCT Administrative Regulations, regulating signing because the Patent Office of Republic of Bulgaria works as Receiving Office for PCT applications with national form accompanied by form PCT/RO/101 for filing PCT applications.
With regard to the text of Section 102bis, Signature on paper documents, introducing the provision: "The signature on a paper document must be handwritten, printed, typed or stamped", we support the proposal as it gives greater clarity, facilitation and transparency, which has many positive effects for applicants and IP offices performing PCT functions. Additionally , the terms "printed signature" and "stamped signature", are clearly understood for our point of view and could be retained if no other better proposal are not provided . In fact, it would be appropriate introduction of clarifying text, for each of the terms “printed, typed or stamped”, such as if the printed qualified electronic signature is considered to fall within the scope of one or both of the terms printed and typed.
