International Patent

The international patent represents a valuable option for inventors who wish to protect their invention on a global scale.

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

If Europe is tight, another important international convention on patents can be exploited, namely the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or International Patent Convention. Thanks to this convention it is possible, with a unified initial procedure, to file a patent application, which can subsequently give rise to patents in over 150 countries around the world, possibly claiming the priority of a previous Italian or foreign patent application.

International Patent Search

The procedure involves a prior art search carried out at a global level and, upon request, a preliminary international examination, which provides the applicant with an initial judgment on the patentability of his invention. This will then be followed by the entry into the national phases of the states of interest.
The European Patent is a regional phase included in the International Patent.

Advantages of the International Patent

• Unified procedure: it simplifies the filing process and reduces initial costs compared to filing separate national applications in each country.
• International prior art search: provides an initial assessment of the patentability of the invention on a global scale.
• International preliminary examination (optional): offers further evaluation of patentability and facilitates entry into national phases.
• Priority: allows for benefiting from the filing date of the initial application for subsequent national applications.