The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program, a collaboration between the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and New Zealand’s Intellectual Property Office, will run from Nov. 1, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2026.
The PPH is a fast-track system that allows patent examination authorities in different regions to share their findings, which accelerates the patent examination process.
If China approves a patent claim, applicants can leverage the PPH to request an expedited review of related claims in New Zealand, simplifying the approval steps, as stated by the CNIPA.
This faster approval process enables innovators to secure their intellectual property rights promptly, helping prevent imitation or infringement by competitors.
As of late 2023, China reached a milestone with over 4 million active invention patents, maintaining its position as the world’s top source of international patent applications since 2019.
Since the first PPH pilot program in November 2011, the CNIPA has established PPH arrangements with patent examination authorities in 33 countries and regions.
