Oficina española de Patentes y Marcas

Patent application, processed in accordance with the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), that enables protection for an invention to be applied for simultaneously in a large number of countries (152 countries in 2017) through the submission of an "international" patent application.

The advantage of the PCT procedure is that it makes it easier to process applications when protection is sought in various countries, with a single application producing the same effects as if the application had been submitted in each of the countries that form part of the Treaty.

Another advantage is that Spanish is one of the official languages so the entire procedure can be carried out in Spanish.

It is important to clarify that this is not a procedure for granting patents as this is done by each one of the countries selected. It is a system which standardises processing prior to the granting of patents.

The SPTO acts as:

• Receiving office for international PCT applications from applicants who are Spanish or are resident in Spain. Applications can be filed on paper or electronically (www.oepm.es).
• International Search Administration for Spanish applicants and those from Latin American countries.
• International Preliminary Examination Administration for Spanish applicants and those from Latin American countries.

For further information: International PCT Applications