The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the organization which sponsors the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), under which the registration of applications for patent protection is carried out in several countries. Since the beginning of implementing PCT in 1978, WIPO protection Office has processed and published more than 35,000 applications, among which 54,000 applications were filed in 1997.
In order to automate the office procedure, a new system is going to be implemented within the upcoming three years. To this end, a questionnaire on the project's vision has been sent to the member countries. The form can be reviewed on the Internet in WIPO's webpage.