6.3.9.5 Processing withdrawals of PCTs

Date Published

Related Chapters:

  • RIO - Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Tasks

On this Page

Overview

When a PCT application or Demand has been withdrawn for a task that is assigned, the PCT Unit will contact the assigned examiner to alert them of the withdrawal. The following outlines the procedure for examiners to cancel PCT Search, PCT Examination, and PCT Further tasks that results from the withdrawn search request/demand.

Processing withdrawal of a PCT application or Demand

  1. Staff should first open the PCT task in the RIO for Patents Workbench.

    1. For withdrawn PCT searches, upon opening the RIO PCT task for the withdrawn application, a Stale Data warning will appear, notifying that the application’s status has changed to ‘Withdrawn’.

    2. Withdrawal of a demand (request) will not change the application status. Instead, a withdrawal of demand request will result in at least one of:

      • A document issued by PCT Unit will be on the case file

      • A personal notification directly from PCT Unit

  2. To cancel the PCT Search task (for withdrawal of PCT Application) or the PCT Exam/Further task (for withdrawal of Demand), the examiner should use one of the following channels (in order of preference):

    1. Creating a service centre ticket

    2. Emailing MDB-BPITS

    3. Contacting an ITWG representative

The PCT Unit can also use one of the above channels to assist examiners.

  1. The PCT Unit will advise the examiner if there is a refund required and — if needed —how an examiner (and their supervising examiner) can process the refund.

Further Support

For further support, examiners can contact the Operational Support – Patents Business System (PBS) team on the RIO for Patents - Chat Support (Teams channel), letting them know the application number requiring manual processing of withdrawal for a Demand. Examiners can also contact Patent Business Systems.

Amended Reasons

Amended Reason Date Amended

Updated with current cancellation workflow for examiners and support channels.

Published for testing

Back to top