PCT Newsletter

February 2026 | No. 02/2026

PCT Information Update

AU Australia (competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities)

The Australian Patent Office (IP Australia) has specified the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) – in addition to itself and the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) (Republic of Korea) – as competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities for international applications filed with the Australian Patent Office as receiving Office. The arrangements will take effect from 1 March 2026. The specification of the EPO is part of a two-year pilot program (see also Singapore SG, below).
Find information from IP Australia and the EPO at:
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (AU))

BY Belarus (fees)

The amounts of the following fees, payable to the National Center of Intellectual Property (Belarus) as receiving Office, have changed with effect from 1 January 2026:

Transmittal fee:.................................................................................  BYN  110.25
Fee for priority document: …………… BYN 150 for each copy of priority document up …………………………………………………….........… to 35 pages
..................................................... plus BYN 2.40 for each page of one copy in excess
………………………………………………...........…… of 35 pages
Fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority:............... BYN  225

There has also been a change in the amounts of the following national fees, payable to the Office as designated (or elected) Office, with effect from the same date:
For patent:

Filing fee:................................................................................................................. BYN  110.25

-    Claim fee for each independent claim in excess of one:.............................. BYN    47.25

Examination fee:.................................................................................................... BYN  535.50

-    Claim examination fee for each independent claim in excess of one:....... BYN  315

Annual fee for the third year:............................................................................... BYN  110.25

For utility model:

Filing fee:................................................................................................................ BYN  220.50

-    Claim fee for each independent claim in excess of one:............................. BYN  110.25

(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (BY) and National Chapter, Summary (BY))

DO Dominican Republic (fees)

The National Office of Industrial Property (Dominican Republic) has notified the International Bureau (IB) that, with effect since 31 March 2023, the amount of the fee for a priority document, payable to the Office as receiving Office, is as follows:

Fee for priority document ……….. DOP 1,980 for the first 10 pages
................................................. plus DOP 14 for each additional page

(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (DO))

EP European Patent Office (fees)

As from 1 April 2026, there will be a change in the following fees payable to the European Patent Office (EPO) as receiving Office:

Transmittal fee:........................................................................ EUR  160

Fee for priority document:..................................................... EUR  125

Fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority:...... EUR  790

As from the same date, there will also be a change in the amounts of the following fees, payable to the EPO as designated (or elected) Office:

Designation fee for one or more EPO Contracting States designated:............... EUR    720

Claims fee:

– for the 16th and each subsequent claim up to the limit of 50:................... EUR    290

– for the 51st and each subsequent claim:....................................................... EUR    720

Search fee for (international) applications............................................................. EUR  1,595

Fee for further processing:

– in the event of late payment of a fee:........................................................... [No change]

– other cases:...................................................................................................... EUR    315

Fee for late furnishing of a sequence listing:........................................................ EUR    280

Examination fee:

– for (international) applications for which a 
supplementary European search report is drawn up:................................... EUR  2,010

– for (international) applications for which no 
supplementary European search report is drawn up:................................... EUR  2,240

Renewal fee for the third year:............................................................................... EUR     725

There will also be a change in the amount of the reduction in the search fee component of the national fee payable for international applications for which the international search report or a supplementary international search report has been established by the Austrian Patent Office or, in accordance with the Protocol on Centralisation, by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH), the Nordic Patent Institute, the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, the Swedish Intellectual Property Office (PRV), the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) or the Visegrad Patent Institute. The new amount of this reduction, applicable from 1 April 2026, is EUR 1,365.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (EP) and National Chapter, Summary (EP))
Please note that changes to certain fees relating to international search, supplementary international search and international preliminary examination are published under those categories below.

GB Intellectual Property Office (United Kingdom) (fees)

As from 1 April 2026, there will be a change in the following fees payable to the Intellectual Property Office[1]  (United Kingdom) as receiving Office:

Transmittal fee:......................................................................... GBP  100

Fee for priority document:...................................................... GBP     27

Fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority:........ GBP  200

(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (GB))

JP Japan (discontinuation of fax services)

With effect from 1 April 2026, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) will discontinue the use of its fax services and will no longer accept the filing of international applications and other documents by fax.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex B (JP))

RU Russian Federation (competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities)

The Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) (Russian Federation) has specified the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) – in addition to itself, the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) – as competent International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority for international applications filed on or after 1 February 2026 with the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) (Russian Federation) in its capacity as a receiving Office.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (RU))

SK Slovakia (fees)

The Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic as receiving Office has notified the IB that, with effect since 1 January 2026, it no longer charges the transmittal fee, the fee for priority document or the fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex C (SK))

Search fee and other fees relating to international search (various Offices)

As from 1 March 2026, there will be changes in the equivalent amounts payable in the currencies specified below for international searches carried out by the following Offices:

Israel Patent Office............................................................ CHF, EUR, USD

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)........... AUD

The new amounts are indicated in Fee Table I(b). 
As from 1 April 2026, there will be a change in the amount payable in EUR, as well as in the applicable equivalent amounts in other currencies (see below), for an international search carried out by the European Patent Office, together with other fees that will also change:

Search fee:.......................................... EUR  1,885

Additional search fee:....................... EUR  1,885

Protest fee:......................................... EUR  1,070

Review fee:......................................... EUR  1,070

Late furnishing fee:........................... EUR     280

The amount of the search fee and additional search fee for international searches carried out by the following Offices will also change to EUR 1,885 from 1 April 2026: the Austrian Patent Office, the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH), the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office and the Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI). The applicable equivalent amounts of the search fee in other currencies will also change on the same date.
The amount of the search fee and additional search fee for international searches carried out by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) will change to TRY 97,060 from 1 April 2026.
As from 1 April 2026, there will be changes in the equivalent amounts payable in the currencies specified below for international searches carried out by the following Offices:

Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO)............................................. EUR, USD

European Patent Office (EPO)............................................ AUD, CHF, CNY, DKK, GBP, HUF, ISK, JPY,
​​​​​​​                                                                                                    NOK, NZD, SEK, SGD, USD, ZAR

Federal Service for Intellectual
Property (Rospatent) (Russian Federation).................... EUR, USD

The new amounts are indicated in Fee Table I(b). 
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex D (AT, EA, EP, ES, FI, IL, RU, SG, TR and XV))

Supplementary search fee (various Offices)

As from 1 April 2026, there will be a change in the amount payable in EUR for a supplementary international search carried out by the European Patent Office, Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) or the Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI). The new amount will be EUR 1,885. 
From the same date, the amount payable in TRY for a supplementary international search carried out by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) will change to TRY 97,060.
(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex SISA (EP, FI, TR and XV))

Preliminary examination fee and other fees relating to international preliminary examination (European Patent Office)

As from 1 April 2026, there will be a change in the amount of the following fees, payable in EUR to the European Patent Office as International Preliminary Examining Authority:

Preliminary examination fee:................................... EUR  2,010

Additional preliminary examination fee:................ EUR  2,101

Protest fee:................................................................. EUR  1,070

Late furnishing fee:................................................... EUR     280

(Updating of PCT Applicant’s Guide, Annex E (EP))
[1] Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office.

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