EPO to continue key role as PCT authority until 2037
The European Patent Office (EPO) will continue to act as International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for another ten years, until 2037. The EPO’s reappointment was confirmed at the Assembly of the International Patent Cooperation Union, which took place as part of the WIPO Assemblies in Geneva in July. The Administrative Council will next be invited to approve the signature of a new Agreement with the International Bureau.
The decision follows the recommendation made by the PCT Committee for Technical Cooperation in February 2026, having reviewed applications for reappointment from around the world. It will be implemented by an agreement between the EPO and the International Bureau of WIPO, subject to authorisation by the European Patent Organisation’s Administrative Council, which is expected later this year.
World’s most active PCT authority
The EPO has acted as ISA and IPEA since 1978, when the PCT entered into force. Since then, the EPO has played a leading role in the development and functioning of the PCT system and remains the world’s most active PCT authority. In 2025, it issued almost 30% of all international search reports and around 60% of all international preliminary examination reports worldwide. Almost all Receiving Offices permit their applicants to specify the EPO as ISA or IPEA, including through ongoing pilot programmes with IP Australia and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).
Recognition of the EPO’s high-quality products and services
The reappointment as PCT authority is a recognition of the EPO’s long-standing commitment to the PCT system, its contribution to the international patent community and the high quality of its work. International search and preliminary examination are subject to the same high-quality standards as in the European phase, involving teams of three highly skilled examiners using the world’s most comprehensive databases.
Further decisions, including approved changes to the PCT Regulations
The PCT Assembly confirmed the reappointment of the other 24 international authorities and the first appointment of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) as ISA and IPEA. Also, the PCT Assembly approved changes to the PCT Regulations, aimed at fostering digital communication, improved protection of personal data and faster fee adjustments when exchange rates change.
