Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification

The Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification (or IPC), also known as the IPC Agreement, was signed in Strasbourg, France, on March 24, 1971 and entered into force on October 7, 1975. It establishes a common classification for patents for invention, inventors’ certificates, utility models and utility certificates, known as the “International Patent Classification” (IPC). [1] The Agreement was amended on September 28, 1979.

States party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883) may become party to the Strasbourg Agreement.[2] As of September 2009, there were 61 contracting parties to the Strasbourg Agreement.[3] The Agreement will enter into force for Serbia, the 61st Contracting State, on July 15, 2010.[3] The Holy See, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Liechtenstein signed the Agreement in 1971 [4] but have not (or not yet) ratified it.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Article 1 of the Agreement
  2. ^ Article 12(1) of the Agreement
  3. ^ a b c WIPO web site, Contracting Parties > Strasbourg Agreement (Total Contracting Parties : 61). Consulted on September 9, 2009.
  4. ^ Article 16(1)(b) of the Agreement: "This Agreement shall remain open for signature at Strasbourg until September 30, 1971."

See also

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