United States Patent and Trademark Office OG Notices: 30 May 2006
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Update
Accession by Lao People's Democratic Republic and
Accession by Honduras
The United States Patent and Trademark Office received
notification from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
that the Lao People's Democratic Republic, on March 14, 2006, and
Honduras, on March 20, 2006, have deposited their instruments of
accession to the PCT, and on June 14 and 20, 2006, respectively, will
become bound by the PCT. Consequently, any international application
filed on or after June 14, 2006 will automatically include the
designation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (country code: LA),
and any international application filed on or after June 20, 2006 will
automatically include the designation of Honduras (country code: HN).
Nationals and residents of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and of
Honduras will be entitled, as from June 14 and 20, 2006, respectively,
to file international applications under the PCT. Also, because the Lao
People's Democratic Republic and Honduras will be bound by Chapter II
of the PCT, they will automatically be elected in any demand filed in
respect of an international application filed on or after June 14 and
20, 2006, respectively. The Lao People's Democratic Republic has made a
declaration under PCT Article 64(5).
Listing of PCT Member Countries
Date of Deposit Entry into
Country Instrument of Instrument Force1
(1) Central African Accession 15 September 1971 24 January 1978
Republic2
(2) Senegal2 Ratification 08 March 1972 24 January 1978
(3) Madagascar Ratification 27 March 1972 24 January 1978
(4) Malawi5 Accession 16 May 1972 24 January 1978
(5) Cameroon2 Accession 15 March 1973 24 January 1978
(6) Chad2 Accession 12 February 1974 24 January 1978
(7) Togo2 Ratification 28 January 1975 24 January 1978
(8) Gabon2 Accession 06 March 1975 24 January 1978
(9) United States Ratification 26 November 1975 24 January 1978
of America
(10) Germany3 Ratification 19 July 1976 24 January 1978
(11) Congo2 Accession 08 August 1977 24 January 1978
(12) Switzerland3 Ratification 14 September 1977 24 January 1978
(13) United Kingdom3 Ratification 24 October 1977 24 January 1978
(14) France3 Ratification 25 November 1977 25 February 1978
(15) Russian Ratification 29 December 1977 29 March 1978
Federation6
(16) Brazil Ratification 09 January 1978 09 April 1978
(17) Luxembourg3 Ratification 31 January 1978 30 April 1978
(18) Sweden3 Ratification 17 February 1978 17 May 1978
(19) Japan Ratification 01 July 1978 01 October 1978
(20) Denmark3 Ratification 01 September 1978 01 December 1978
(21) Austria3 Ratification 23 January 1979 23 April 1979
(22) Monaco3 Ratification 22 March 1979 22 June 1979
(23) Netherlands3 Ratification 10 April 1979 10 July 1979
(24) Romania3 Ratification 23 April 1979 23 July 1979
(25) Norway Ratification 01 October 1979 01 January 1980
(26) Liechtenstein3 Accession 19 December 1979 19 March 1980
(27) Australia Accession 31 December 1979 31 March 1980
(28) Hungary3 Ratification 27 March 1980 27 June 1980
(29) Democratic Accession 08 April 1980 08 July 1980
People's Republic of
Korea (North Korea)
(30) Finland3 Ratification 01 July 1980 01 October 1980
(31) Belgium3 Ratification 14 September 1981 14 December 1981
(32) Sri Lanka Accession 26 November 1981 26 February 1982
(33) Mauritania2 Accession 13 January 1983 13 April 1983
(34) Sudan5 Accession 16 January 1984 16 April 1984
(35) Bulgaria3 Accession 21 February 1984 21 May 1984
(36) Republic of Korea Accession 10 May 1984 10 August 1984
(South Korea)
(37) Mali2 Accession 19 July 1984 19 October 1984
(38) Barbados Accession 12 December 1984 12 March 1985
(39) Italy3 Ratification 28 December 1984 28 March 1985
(40) Benin2 Accession 26 November 1986 26 February 1987
(41) Burkina Faso2 Accession 21 December 1988 21 March 1989
(42) Spain3 Accession 16 August 1989 16 November 1989
(43) Canada Ratification 02 October 1989 02 January 1990
(44) Greece3 Accession 09 July 1990 09 October 1990
(45) Poland Accession 25 September 1990 25 December 1990
(46) Cote d'Ivoire2 Ratification 31 January 1991 30 April 1991
(47) Guinea2 Accession 27 February 1991 27 May 1991
(48) Mongolia Accession 27 February 1991 27 May 1991
(49) Czech Republic3 Declaration4 18 December 1992 01 January 1993
(50) Ireland3 Ratification 01 May 1992 01 August 1992
(51) Portugal3 Accession 24 August 1992 24 November 1992
(52) New Zealand Accession 01 September 1992 01 December 1992
(53) Ukraine Declaration4 21 September 1992 25 December 1991
(54) Viet Nam Accession 10 December 1992 10 March 1993
(55) Slovakia3 Declaration4 30 December 1992 01 January 1993
(56) Niger2 Accession 21 December 1992 21 March 1993
(57) Kazakstan6 Declaration4 16 February 1993 25 December 1991
(58) Belarus6 Declaration4 14 April 1993 25 December 1991
(59) Latvia Accession 07 June 1993 07 Sep. 1993
(60) Uzbekistan Declaration4 18 August 1993 25 December 1991
(61) China Accession 01 October 1993 01 January 1994
(62) Slovenia3 Accession 01 December 1993 01 March 1994
(63) Trinidad and Accession 10 December 1993 10 March 1994
Tobago
(64) Georgia Declaration4 18 January 1994 25 December 1991
(65) Kyrgyzstan6 Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
(66) Republic of Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
Moldova6
(67) Tajikistan6 Declaration4 14 February 1994 25 December 1991
(68) Kenya5 Accession 08 March 1994 08 June 1994
(69) Lithuania3 Accession 05 April 1994 05 July 1994
(70) Armenia6 Declaration4 17 May 1994 25 December 1991
(71) Estonia3 Accession 24 May 1994 24 August 1994
(72) Liberia Accession 27 May 1994 27 August 1994
(73) Swaziland5 Accession 20 June 1994 20 Sep. 1994
(74) Mexico Accession 01 October 1994 01 January 1995
(75) Uganda5 Accession 09 November 1994 09 February 1995
(76) Singapore Accession 23 November 1994 23 February 1995
(77) Iceland3 Accession 23 December 1994 23 March 1995
(78) Turkmenistan6 Declaration4 01 March 1995 25 December 1991
(79) The former Accession 10 May 1995 10 August 1995
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia
(80) Albania Accession 04 July 1995 04 October 1995
(81) Lesotho5 Accession 21 July 1995 21 October 1995
(82) Azerbaijan6 Accession 25 September 1995 25 December 1995
(83) Turkey3 Accession 01 October 1995 01 January 1996
(84) Israel Ratification 01 March 1996 01 June 1996
(85) Cuba Accession 16 April 1996 16 July 1996
(86) Saint Lucia Accession 30 May 1996 30 August 1996
(87) Bosnia and Accession 07 June 1996 07 Sep. 1996
Herzegovina
(88) Serbia and Ratification 01 November 1996 01 February 1997
Montenegro7
(89) Ghana5 Accession 26 November 1996 26 February 1997
(90) Zimbabwe5 Accession 11 March 1997 11 June 1997
(91) Sierra Leone5 Accession 17 March 1997 17 June 1997
(92) Indonesia Accession 05 June 1997 05 Sep. 1997
(93) Gambia5 Accession 09 September 1997 09 December 1997
(94) Guinea-Bissau2 Accession 12 September 1997 12 December 1997
(95) Cyprus3 Accession 01 January 1998 01 April 1998
(96) Croatia Accession 01 April 1998 01 July 1998
(97) Grenada Accession 22 June 1998 22 Sep. 1998
(98) India Accession 07 September 1998 07 December 1998
(99) United Arab Accession 10 December 1998 10 March 1999
Emirates
(100) South Africa Accession 16 December 1998 16 March 1999
(101) Costa Rica Accession 03 May 1999 03 August 1999
(102) Dominica Accession 07 May 1999 07 August 1999
(103) United Republic Accession 14 June 1999 14 Sep. 1999
of Tanzania5
(104) Morocco Accession 08 July 1999 08 October 1999
(105) Algeria Ratification 08 December 1999 08 March 2000
(106) Antigua and Accession 17 December 1999 17 March 2000
Barbuda
(107) Mozambique5 Accession 18 February 2000 18 May 2000
(108) Belize Accession 17 March 2000 17 June 2000
(109) Colombia Accession 29 November 2000 28 February 2001
(110) Ecuador Accession 07 February 2001 07 May 2001
(111) Equatorial Accession 17 April 2001 17 July 2001
Guinea2
(112) Philippines Accession 17 May 2001 17 August 2001
(113) Oman Accession 26 July 2001 26 October 2001
(114) Zambia5 Accession 15 August 2001 15 November 2001
(115) Tunisia Accession 10 September 2001 10 December 2001
(116) Saint Vincent Accession 06 May 2002 06 August 2002
and Grenadines
(117) Seychelles Accession 07 August 2002 07 November 2002
(118) Nicaragua Accession 06 December 2002 06 March 2003
(119) Papua New Guinea Accession 14 March 2003 14 June 2003
(120) Syrian Arab Accession 26 March 2003 26 June 2003
Republic
(121) Egypt Ratification 06 June 2003 06 Sep. 2003
(122) Botswana5 Accession 30 July 2003 30 October 2003
(123) Namibia5 Accession 01 October 2003 01 January 2004
(124) San Marino Accession 14 September 2004 14 December 2004
(125) Comoros Accession 03 January 2005 03 April 2005
(126) Nigeria Accession 08 February 2005 08 May 2005
(127) Libyan Arab Accession 15 June 2005 15 Sep. 2005
Jamahiriya
(128) Saint Kitts and Accession 27 July 2005 27 October 2005
Nevis
(129) Lao People's Accession 14 March 2006 14 June 2006
Democratic Republic
(130) Honduras Accession 20 March 2006 20 June 2006
May 4, 2006 JON W. DUDAS
Under Secretary of Commerce for
Intellectual Property and Director of the
United States Patent and Trademark Office
1 Although the PCT entered into force on January 24, 1978, the Assembly
of the PCT Union fixed June 1, 1978, as the date from which
international applications could be filed and demands for international
preliminary examination could be submitted.
2 Member of African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) regional
patent system.
3 Member of European Patent Convention (EPC) regional patent system.
4 Declaration of continued application.
5 Member of African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO)
regional patent system.
6 Member of Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) regional patent system.
7 The World Intellectual Property Organization has utilized the two-letter
code "YU" to refer to Serbia and Montenegro formerly the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia, becoming a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty.