Expanding the role of the EAPO within the WIPO CASE system

The EAPO has been participating in the WIPO CASE (Centralized Access to Search and Examination) project since 2016, but until now, the EAPO has not sent its own documents for posting on the WIPO CASE web portal. From January 15, 2024, the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) began to provide information on the WIPO CASE portal.

At the first stage, the EAPO will provide WIPO with a retrospective array of patent search reports on Eurasian applications and will provide reports on new searches carried out. In the future, based on the results of this stage, the EAPO will consider expanding the range of documents posted on the WIPO CASE web portal.

The WIPO CASE system enables patent offices to securely share search and examination documentation related to patent applications filed in multiple offices in order to facilitate work-sharing programs, therefore, patent examiners can increase the efficiency and quality of their work by sharing their examination results.

The International Bureau in response to a request from the Vancouver Group Offices (the Patent Offices of Australia, Canada and the UK) initially developed the system. Based on their requirements, an initial system was deployed in 2011.

Since June 1, 2015, any patent office may join the system by notifying the International Bureau that it is willing to participate according to the new terms and conditions for the system.

Today, patent examiners from 40 intellectual property offices around the world have access to the portal. However, only 18 offices are suppliers of information for this system, including the EAPO.