Training on the International Patent System (PCT) and its ePCT platform for staff of the National Industrial Property Institute (INAPI) and national applicants.

November 26, 2024

As part of its technical assistance to member countries of the international patent system (PCT), WIPO, in collaboration with INAPI, organized training on the PCT System and its ePCT platform, dedicated to electronic applications and processing international applications, from November 19 to 21, 2024.

In their opening statements, Mr Mohamed Saleck Ahmed Ethmane, Director of the WIPO External Office in Algeria, and Mr Nadji Aiche, Director of Innovation Promotion at INAPI, underlined the importance of the training for INAPI staff, the WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs), applicants and all innovators.

 

Main objectives of the PCT and ePCT training: 

  1. Introduce the international patent system and its advantages
  2. Discuss the role and functions of INAPI as a PCT receiving office
  3. Provide a detailed overview of the filing and processing of PCT applications
  4. Provide an overview of the international phase of the PCT application process and national phase entry.

Training for INAPI staff

The first two days of training were reserved exclusively for examiners from INAPI’s Patent Division (11 participants, including the Director of the Patent Division, Mr Youcef Ziane).

During this first part of the training, the two experts from the PCT International Cooperation Division (WIPO) covered the following points:

  • The different phases of an international application (filing, international phase, national phase entry)
  • Important rules and articles of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
  • ePCT platform features for receiving offices
  • Creation of new user accounts and management of user access rights.

As well as presentations on the theoretical aspects and demonstrations of the ePCT platform’s various features, INAPI examiners benefited from a practical session, using their own accounts on the ePCT platform to process new international applications and put into practice their acquired theoretical knowledge.

The INAPI examiners voiced their appreciation of the methodology used throughout the two-day training course, enabling them to easily align certain PCT rules with the functions of the receiving office in the ePCT platform. They found the training useful and effective, particularly because it struck the right balance between theory and practice.

Workshop for Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) and IP professionals

A workshop in hybrid format was held on the third and final day for TISCs and national applicants, giving anyone unable to travel to Algiers the opportunity to follow the course remotely.  Over 40 participants attended the workshop, more than half of them online (26 participants out of 42 registered participants).

The main objective of the workshop was to increase participants’ understanding of how to prepare the body of the international application, using a specific format (Docx) to benefit from a greater reduction in the international filing fee. All PCT applications received by INAPI over the last five years have been filed online, and all documents submitted in PDF format. Participants were encouraged to adopt Docx format when drafting their applications, to enable data to be extracted and processed automatically. This will also allow WIPO to reduce translation and publication costs in the 10 working languages of the PCT. 

The workshop also provided an opportunity to meet a number of TISC representatives in person, and to establish direct contact between INAPI examiners and IP professionals. 

Conclusion

The training on the International Patent System (PCT) and its ePCT platform reached its objectives by enabling INAPI staff, TISC members and applicants to gain a thorough understanding of the PCT system, its benefits and its global ePCT platform. Participants gained valuable insights into the process of preparing and processing PCT applications. The workshop also fostered a sense of community among participants, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.