What are the U.S. requirements for translations of the international preliminary examination report?
The United States has specific requirements for translations of the international preliminary examination report and its annexes. According to MPEP 1879.03:
“The U.S. requires the final report and the annexes thereto to be in English. Translation of the annexes for national stage purposes is required pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 371(c)(5) and 37 CFR 1.495(e). Failure to timely provide such translation results in cancellation of the annexes.”
This means that for U.S. national stage entry:
- The main report must be in English (translated by the International Bureau if necessary)
- The applicant must provide English translations of any annexes
- Failure to provide timely translations of the annexes will result in their cancellation
Applicants should be aware of these requirements to ensure successful entry into the U.S. national stage of PCT applications.
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