On 1 January 2017, an amendment in rule 116 of the Singapore Patents Rules which introduces Chinese, in addition to English, as a language for international applications and request forms (e.g., request for PCT/RO/101) filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) as the Receiving Office (RO) was brought into force.
Such change was also published by International Bureau in Official Notices (PCT Gazette) dated 5 January 2017, stating that, with effect since 1 January 2017, IPOS, in its capacity as the RO, would accept Chinese as a language in which international applications and a request (PCT/RO/101) may be filed, while, in its functioning as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the PCT, would be competent to act as ISA and IPEA for international applications filed with the receiving office of any prescribed contracting States, or translations thereof furnished for that purposes of international search and international preliminary examination, in the language of Chinese. Read more