Advantages of international PCT application

PCT application is an international application that deals with patents and utility models. Their advantage is that through one application the applicant gains preliminary protection in all countries that, signed the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty). Such policy makes it considerably easier and simpler for the applicant to gain protection in individual countries, and at the same time it saves substantial amount of finances. The total count of countries of PCT system is gradually increasing, to the 04.09.2014 there were 148 of them.

Signatory states of PCT territorially cover almost the whole World: http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/pct/en/list_states.pdf Another advantage of the PCT application is, that in addition to preliminary protection provides the applicant also additional time for decision regarding countries in which he will ask for patent protection.