Filing European and international patent applications

You can file a European or an international application with the relevant authorities. Provided that you or your company is domiciled in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, you can also file it with us and we will forward it to the relevant authorities. If you wish to claim the priority of a Swiss application, we would be happy to issue a priority document for you.

 

A uniform law applies in Lichtenstein and Switzerland for patent matters. Therefore, a Swiss patent is automatically valid in Lichtenstein too.

 

Please note:

Preparing a patent application without any errors and answering any objections correctly can be difficult for those with no experience in patenting. In this instance, we strongly recommend that you seek advice from a patent attorney.

 

European patent applications

You can file the application either directly with the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich or at its branch offices in The Hague or in Berlin, or with us. If you file your application with us, you can also submit it by post or email.  You can request the necessary documentation and forms either from us or from the EPO.


www.epo.org/applying.html
European Patent Office (EPO)
D-80298 Munich, Germany
Tel. 00 800 80 20 20 20
Fax +49 89/2399-4465

 

International patent applications (PCT)

You can file an international application with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva or with the IPI. If you file your application with us, you can submit your documentation by post or online via the WIPO's ePCT portal (in this instance, select the IPI as Receiving Office). If you file your application online, you benefit from a reduction in the filing fee.

 

We would be happy to provide you with further information. The WIPO also has a guideline available that provides detailed information about the international (PCT) procedure.


http://www.wipo.int/pct/en
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
chemin des Colombettes 34
1211 Genf 20
Tel. +41 22 338 8338
Fax +41 22 388 8339

 

Priority documents

If you wish to claim the priority of a Swiss patent application for applications abroad, you will need to submit a priority document to the authorities abroad. We would be happy to issue one for you.

 

Note for the authorities: a Swiss priority document includes an extract from the patent register, a copy of the filing confirmation and a copy of the technical documents. Please note that these documents are not bound.

 
 

WIPO DIGITAL ACCESS SERVICE (DAS)

As of 1 December 2023, Switzerland will be participating in WIPO DAS as a depositing office. From this date, you can submit a request for priority documents to be made available via WIPO DAS for Swiss patent applications, patents, design applications and designs. All you need to do is request the IPI to upload the relevant priority document onto the WIPO DAS platform, indicating the IP right in question and an email address to receive the access code.
 
The procedure is currently only available in Switzerland for patent applications, patents, design applications and designs, but not for trade mark applications and trade marks. Furthermore, Switzerland is currently only participating as a depositing office and not as an accessing office. This means that applicants cannot request the IPI to retrieve priority documents itself from WIPO DAS using an access code if a priority document is to be filed in a Swiss procedure.

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