On September 22, 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks (Rospatent) signed an agreement under which Rospatent will serve as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for international applications received by the USPTO.
According to the USPTO, the agreement is beneficial for the US applicants because the cost of search and examination will be lower and the process faster. A search carried out by Rospatent as the ISA will cost USD 449 (EUR 323). Applicants selecting Rospatent as the IPEA will pay a preliminary examination fee of USD 180 (EUR 129), as well as a handling fee of USD 175 (EUR 126). When the International Search Report (ISR) is not prepared by Rospatent, the fee will be USD 271 (EUR 195).
The agreement was signed at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) headquarters in Geneva. The implementation details are still being finalized and the start date will be announced soon.
Source: USPTO
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