PRV is one of 25 authorized PCT authorities in the world that conducts the novelty search and the preliminary examination on patentability. PRV has been involved since the late 1970s. This means we have long experience in examining PCT applications. The fact that Sweden has a PCT authority is a great advantage for Swedish companies and the innovative capacity in Sweden. It means that PRV guarantees high quality in the novelty search and examination of patentability for the applications, and PRV meets high international quality standards in all technical fields. The status also gives Sweden international influence and the opportunity to impact the development of the PCT system.

PRV can handle your application in the best way no matter what technology your application may concern.

Requirements for the PCT Authority

These are the requirements for an authority to obtain PCT status and for the authority to be authorized to conduct international novelty searches and preliminary examinations on patentability:

• The authority has at least 100 full-time employed civil engineers.
• The authority has competence in all technical fields.
• The authority has access to extensive databases, the so-called minimum documentation for PCT-applications, capacity for efficient and accurate searches and examinations and to ensure that potentially novelty-preventing documents are found during the search.
• The authority has a quality management system with regular audits.

How a PCT Application Works

When you file a PCT application to the Swedish Intellectual Property Office, PRV as the international authority = the Receiving Office (RO), sets an international filing date that applies in all PCT countries.

A PCT application is handled in one or two international phases. First, PRV performs a mandatory novelty search (phase 1). If you choose to continue to a second phase, we also perform a preliminary examination on patentability. This results in a report on the novelty of the invention, the inventive step, and industrial applicability, which serves as the basis for decisions in the member countries.

In addition to being the RO, PRV also acts as ISA (International Searching Authority) and IPEA (International Preliminary Examining Authority).

You can use PRV as a PCT authority in the following cases:

• If you, as the applicant, has a Swedish citizenship or live in Sweden, or if your company has operations in Sweden, you may choose PRV as RO and ISA/IPEA.
• If you, as the applicant, live or have operations in a Nordic country, you may choose PRV as ISA/IPEA via the International Bureau in Geneva or via one of the Nordic patent offices as RO.

PRV handles your PCT application throughout the entire process – a great security for you as a customer.

Once you receive our opinions and reports, you decide in which countries you want to continue with your application. Each country applies its own patent law in the final examination and decision.

Applying via PCT is beneficial if:

• You want to save time before deciding in which countries to apply for a patent.
• You want to delay costs for a large number of national patent applications.

Main fees for your PCT application

• International filing fee
• Transmittal fee
• Search fee
• Preliminary examination fee
• Handling fee

Read more about fees here

Discount Opportunities

You can get a discount on your PCT application in certain cases, for example:

• A part of the search fee is refunded to you if a novelty search report has been made by PRV, NPI, or EPO in a previous international application that is invoked as a priority in your PCT application.
• If you have an examination report for a Swedish, Nordic, or European patent application that is invoked as a priority in the PCT application.
• You may also get a discount when you continue with your PCT application into the regional phase at the EPO after the international search conducted in the PCT application by PRV.

Time Perspective

In most cases, you have 30 months from the priority date to continue with your PCT application into the national phase in specific countries.

Read more

SIS – Supplementary International Search, an additional search of the PCT application.