International patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) provide a single international procedure for searching and examining an invention in a single language.

Since inception of the PCT in 1978, the number of international patent applications filed has risen year-on-year and new states join the PCT system typically at the rate of one or two per year. As of November 2017, there were 152 individual PCT contracting states which includes all of the major industrialised nations of the world. 

For more information on the opportunities provided to amend claims during the international and national phases of the PCT patent application procudure, please download our white paper: 'Claim amendments during the international patent application procedure' using the link below. 

If you have any queries on this or any other intellectual property matter, please do not hesitate to get in touch.