The China National IP Administration (CNIPA) and the European Patent Office (EPO) will launch a two-year pilot project, under which the nationals and residents of China will be able to choose the EPO as the international search authority for international applications filed in English under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

The pilot will be launched on this December 1. The number of PCT applications submitted to the CNIPA or the WIPO as the receiving offices will be capped at the maximum amount of 2,500 in the first year and 3,000 in the next year.

(Source: www.CNIPA.gov.cn)