The China National Intellectual Property Administration, together with the European Patent Office, Japan Patent Office, Korean Intellectual Property Office, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, has agreed to extend the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programme for a further three years. The extension will run from 6 January 2026 to 5 January 2029, with no changes to the existing eligibility requirements or procedural framework.

The IP5 PPH programme is designed to accelerate patent examination by enabling participating patent offices to rely on examination results issued by another IP5 office. Through this work-sharing mechanism, applicants may benefit from reduced examination timelines, improved consistency in examination outcomes, and more efficient prosecution strategies across key jurisdictions.

Since the launch of its first PPH pilot in November 2011, China has steadily expanded its participation in global PPH networks. The CNIPA has now established PPH cooperation with 35 patent authorities, covering 86 countries and regions worldwide, reflecting China’s deepening integration into the international patent system and its continued emphasis on examination efficiency and quality.

The extension of the IP5 PPH pilot underscores the ongoing commitment of the world’s leading patent offices to international cooperation and procedural harmonisation. For applicants with parallel filings in major patent jurisdictions, the programme remains a valuable tool for streamlining prosecution and optimising global patent portfolios.

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