PCT Newsletter


June 2025 | No. 06/2025

Amendments to the PCT Regulations – Entry into Force on 1 July 2025

It is recalled that the Assembly of the PCT Union (PCT Assembly) that was held from 9 to 17 July 2024 adopted amendments to the PCT Regulations that will enter into force on 1 July 2025. These amendments are as follows:
  • Amendments to PCT Rule 89bis.1 to allow receiving Offices to no longer accept paper filings with the option to allow paper submissions in exceptional circumstances for the purposes of obtaining a filing date/meeting a time limit but requiring an electronic re-submission of the documents within two months. The International Bureau as receiving Office will be obliged to continue accepting paper filings;
  • Amendments to PCT Rule 92 to allow the International Bureau to communicate with Offices and applicants in languages beyond English and French as currently required; and
  • Amendments to PCT Rule 26.3ter requiring applicants to submit a translation where the abstract and/or text matter of drawings is filed in a language different from the language in which the international application will be published but in a language accepted by the International Searching Authority.​​​​​​​
A PowerPoint presentation showing the amendments to the PCT Regulations is available at:
The consolidated versions of the modified PCT Regulations, as in force from 1 July 2025, are available in Arabic, Chinese English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, in PDF format, at:
Languages other than English and Italian can be selected at the top right-hand side of the page.

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