Beginning on March 1, 2026, patent applicants from Australia may take advantage of expanded international search options under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Applicants under the PCT previously had IP Australia and the Korean Intellectual Property Office as their only choices for their International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority. Now they have two additional options: the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

The expanded options streamline the search process and make it more time- and cost-efficient, thus providing greater ease and convenience for patent applicants.

Selecting the EPO will translate to lower cost due to the 75 percent discount on European phase examination fees. Meanwhile, opting for IPOS will be especially beneficial for PCT applicants who need to do Chinese prior art searches.

In an article posted in IP Australia’s website, IP Australia Director General Michael Schwager said: “By expanding the choice of international search authorities, we’re giving applicants more options in how they manage patent protection overseas, and upholding our commitment to deliver an IP system that helps support a more productive and resilient economy.”

These options apply to PCT applications filed from March 1, 2026 onwards.

- Espie Angelica A. de Leon