In order to expand the scope of service and facilitate the exchange of priority documents, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office and the Japan Patent Office signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2019 to apply the electronic priority document exchange program to design patents. After bilateral efforts in developing and testing, the construction of the interface has been successfully completed, and the “Taiwan-Japan Electronic Priority Document Exchange for Design Patents” program has been implemented starting from January 2022. With the implementation of the program, mailing paperwork for priority documents can be avoided, procedures for cross-country applications can be streamlined, and process of patent examination can be accelerated.

(Translated and summarized from the news announced on the website of the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office)

*Section Chief of International Patent Division at Tai E International Patent & Law Office