After years of preparation, workshops, and meetings, Iraq has finally taken the leap and acceded to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on January 31, 2022. The Treaty will enter into force on April 30, 2022, and once the proper infrastructure has been established, all international applications, filed on this date or after, will designate Iraq for national stage entry.
This is a welcome relief for applicants interested in obtaining patent protection for their investments in Iraq. Having that additional grace period prior to triggering the decision to file or not to file in Iraq based on the international search, places the country in a better position for seeing more applications entering at the national stage. The mechanisms, requirements and deadlines applicable to the national entry of PCT applications remain to be seen.
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