International Patent Applications
A national patent application filed in Türkiye provides protection only in Türkiye. To protect your inventions abroad, patent applications must also be filed in the countries where protection is sought. There are 3 routes for international patent protection: national patent applications, international patent applications and regional patent applications.
National Patent Applications
In the countries where you wish to protect your invention, we provide patent filing and consultancy services through the expert patent attorneys who are our partners. If a patent application abroad will be based on a national patent application filed in Türkiye, the priority periods must be observed. Applications that follow a national patent application must be filed within the priority period. The priority period is 12 months from the filing date of the first patent application.
PCT Applications (International Patent Applications)
PCT stands for the “Patent Cooperation Treaty”. Türkiye is one of the contracting states of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, which has 142 contracting states. Applicants from contracting states can file their applications through their national offices or directly with WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization. A PCT application can be filed directly without a national patent application, or it can be based on an earlier national patent application, provided it is filed within the 12-month priority period.
PCT applications consist of two main phases: the international phase and the national phase. The international phase comprises filing, search and an optional preliminary examination. The application then enters the national phase so that patent protection can be obtained in the desired countries. The deadline for entering the national phase is 30 months from the priority date.
EPC Applications (European Patent)
EPC stands for the “European Patent Convention”. Türkiye is one of the contracting states of the European Patent Convention. Applicants from contracting states can file their applications through their national offices or directly with WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, or with the EPO, the European Patent Office. An EPC application can be filed directly without a national patent application, or it can be based on an earlier national patent application, provided it is filed within the priority period.
Through the EPC system, a single application results in a patent valid in all member states.