As part of the meeting to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of co-operation of the Trilateral Offices, the Offices have agreed on a single format for patent applications to be accepted by all offices. The Trilateral Offices are the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO).

"The potential savings for users will be around $100 million per year."

The proposal for a single format was suggested by industries and patent attorneys in 2005.

Source & further information

State Intellectual Property Office of the P.R.C (SIPO) news - Trilateral Offices sign up to work-sharing initiatives