Today, October 7th 2024, Uruguayan authorities deposited the instrument of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, in Geneva, Switzerland.
This deposit marks the three-month countdown for the Treaty to enter into force in Uruguay. Consequently, the PCT will officially take effect on January 7, 2025, allowing all subsequent PCT applications to initiate the national phase in Uruguay through the National Directorate of Industrial Property (DNPI).
The accession to the PCT marks a milestone in strengthening Uruguay's patent system as it allows for the filing of patent applications in multiple countries based on a single application. In addition to simplifying the patent registration process and reducing costs, the PCT grants the applicant more time to seek external funding and decide in which jurisdictions to request patent protection.