International Patent Rights Applications

April 7, 2010
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

The Smit & Van Wyk Pretoria patent attorneys assist clients in the international patent rights application process.

A patent is not valid in another country, unless it is registered there. As such the next step in the patent registration process once done in South Africa is to file for registration in the countries required.

It would have been a tremendous task if it wasn’t for the Patent Co-operation Treaty allowing for the registration of a patent in 133 countries at once. The whole process is best handled by the Pretoria patent attorneys.

Under the treaty the applicant doesn’t have to apply for registration in each individual country, but can file one application to be valid in all the participating countries.

It is still a complicated process and best handled by experienced lawyers such as the Smit & Van Wyk team.