The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), launched Wednesday a two-day workshop on processing international applications using the Patent Co-operation Treaty electronic system (ePCT).
The workshop has brought together members of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection department at the Ministry along with intellectual property agents, representatives of Qatar Foundation and a number of local organisations as well as members of the public.
The initiative comes within the framework of the Ministry's efforts to increase the number of trained personnel on the use of the Patent Cooperation Treaty electronic system (ePCT), improve the efficiency and readiness of employees, enhance their skills and competencies in terms of using the system, identify procedures that would optimize and ensure a smooth and efficient workflow and provide the best service for applicants.
Amna Jaber al-Kuwari, director of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection department and Dr Amir Ali al-Jazairi, senior counsellor, PCT International Co-operation Division for Arab Patents at WIPO, are participating.
The workshop touches on a number of topics relating to the importance and advantages of the PCT system, the international treaty and registration system, the international preliminary examination process in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, and how the WIPO would continue to communicate and provide support for non-member states.
The workshop features practical training for intellectual property rights agents and representatives of Qatar Foundation on the use of PCT system to process and register international applications. Participants will be awarded certificates issued by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
The ePCT system provides a wide range of services to receiving offices. These services are available through a secure web browser interface and in 10 languages. The ePCT system allows receiving offices to access the latest bibliographic data and any other useful documents held by the International Bureau of WIPO. Qatar is the first country in the GCC region to adopt this system to file international applications in accordance with the provisions of the PCT after an international receiving office was launched in 2015 by the Intellectual Property Rights Protection department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This system is used by a limited number of member states party to this Treaty while Qatar is the first country in the Gulf region to use the ePCT system.
The initiative comes within the framework of the Ministry's efforts to increase the number of trained personnel on the use of the Patent Cooperation Treaty electronic system (ePCT), improve the efficiency and readiness of employees, enhance their skills and competencies in terms of using the system, identify procedures that would optimize and ensure a smooth and efficient workflow and provide the best service for applicants.
Amna Jaber al-Kuwari, director of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection department and Dr Amir Ali al-Jazairi, senior counsellor, PCT International Co-operation Division for Arab Patents at WIPO, are participating.
The workshop touches on a number of topics relating to the importance and advantages of the PCT system, the international treaty and registration system, the international preliminary examination process in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, and how the WIPO would continue to communicate and provide support for non-member states.
The workshop features practical training for intellectual property rights agents and representatives of Qatar Foundation on the use of PCT system to process and register international applications. Participants will be awarded certificates issued by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
The ePCT system provides a wide range of services to receiving offices. These services are available through a secure web browser interface and in 10 languages. The ePCT system allows receiving offices to access the latest bibliographic data and any other useful documents held by the International Bureau of WIPO. Qatar is the first country in the GCC region to adopt this system to file international applications in accordance with the provisions of the PCT after an international receiving office was launched in 2015 by the Intellectual Property Rights Protection department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This system is used by a limited number of member states party to this Treaty while Qatar is the first country in the Gulf region to use the ePCT system.
