Substantive-examination resources

For the purpose of substantive examination of patent applications, both domestic and international, the Registration Authority is obliged, within three years at most of the date of entry into force of this Act, in compliance with the employment laws, to recruit and employ the required number of full-time experts — proportionate to the number of registration requests — who possess the conditions necessary for examining and searching inventions in accordance with the conditions of the Implementing Regulation of this Act. For the purpose of implementing this Article, the Registration Authority is obliged to create the necessary infrastructure and implement a quality management system in accordance with the rules of international search.

Note 1 — The costs relating to the training and employment of experts at the Registration Authority shall be provided from the revenues referred to in Article 140 of this Act.

Note 2 — The search and substantive examination report prepared by the Registration Authority must be published for the public as an annex to Article 27 of this Act.

Note 3 — All information and documentation provided by patent applicants — including the application, description, and claims — shall be deemed confidential with the Registration Authority until the time of publication under this Act, and may not be disclosed except in the legally prescribed cases relating to inquiries by the courts.

Note 4 — After three years from the date of entry into force of this Act, all examinations must be carried out at the Registration Authority, and the transfer of the said information and documentation outside the Registration Authority for examination is prohibited.