Cnipa launches the Belt and Road Accelerated Patent Examination Pilot Program

On January 17, 2025, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced the launch of the “Guidelines for the Belt and Road Accelerated Examination Pilot Program,” effective January 20, 2025. This program aligns with the broader goals of the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure development strategy designed to enhance connectivity between China and participating countries.

The Pilot Program is similar in concept to the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), enabling faster patent examination in China when a participating country's patent office has deemed at least one claim in a corresponding patent application to be allowable.

Key Features of the Program

• Participating Countries: While the program aims to include all countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (over 150 nations with signed Memorandums of Understanding, according to Fudan University), Türkiye is currently the only participating country.

• Duration: The program will run from January 20, 2025, to January 19, 2027. After this period, the program will be evaluated to determine its effectiveness and whether it should be extended.

• Application Limits: CNIPA will accept up to 1,000 applications annually under the program. Each participating country’s patent office will have a maximum quota of 100 applications per year.

Eligibility Requirements

To participate in the Pilot Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Corresponding Patent Application

• The CNIPA application must have at least one corresponding application in the participating country’s patent office. The corresponding application must have at least one claim deemed patentable/allowable.

• Claim Consistency

• All claims in the CNIPA application must sufficiently match one or more of the claims found patentable/allowable in the corresponding application.

• Publication Status

• The CNIPA application must have been published.Examination Stage

• Timing of Request

• The request for accelerated examination must be submitted before CNIPA begins examining the application.

• Electronic Filing

• The CNIPA application must be filed electronically.

Implications

This Pilot Program reflects China’s commitment to integrating the intellectual property frameworks of Belt and Road countries with its own system. It provides applicants from participating countries an opportunity for expedited patent processing, fostering innovation and collaboration within the initiative.

While Türkiye seems to be the only participant at the program’s launch, the initiative has the potential to expand significantly if more countries join. The program’s success and possible extension will depend on its adoption and the outcomes of its two-year trial period.