A Common Patent Processing Manual for the Andean Region

The Manual is the outcome of a meticulous process of consensus building between the industrial property offices of the five Andean countries over a four year period. In 2000, at the request of the Andean Community Secretariat, WIPO, together with the European Patent Office (EPO) and with the contribution of the Mexican Industrial Property Institute, began a regional consultation process, which led to a first draft. While consideration was given to international legislative developments, the manual was drafted strictly according to the Andean law in force (Decision 486) and following the regional case-law practice, particularly from the Andean Tribunal Court of Justice, the sole body with a mandate to interpret the Andean regional legislation.

Collaboration between all parties was exemplary. The group of experts started with a blank sheet and built the manual from scratch. They first agreed on the structure of the manual, then moved forward step-by-step. All participants proved willing to adjust to interpretations of the law made by the other countries involved in the process. The resulting manual remains open to modification as the offices gain experience working with the manual.

The manual is a non-binding instrument. But...