Treaties and agreements governing intellectual property rights, with their year of application, launch signatories and current membership.
Paris / CUPParis Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property In force since 1884 Creates the 12-month priority right used to extend a first filing abroad.
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Signed 1883
Launch signatories 🇧🇪 Belgium🇧🇷 Brazil🇸🇻 El Salvador🇫🇷 France🇬🇹 Guatemala🇮🇹 Italy🇳🇱 Netherlands🇵🇹 Portugal🇷🇸 Serbia🇪🇸 Spain🇨🇭 Switzerland
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
MadridMadrid System for the international registration of marks In force since 1892 Trademark counterpart of the PCT: one filing, several designated territories.
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Signed 1891
Launch signatories 🇧🇪 Belgium🇫🇷 France🇬🇹 Guatemala🇮🇹 Italy🇳🇱 Netherlands🇵🇹 Portugal🇪🇸 Spain🇨🇭 Switzerland🇹🇳 Tunisia
Pending / signed not in force 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia(entry into force not yet published)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
Hague / La HayeHague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs In force since 1928 One international design application covering several territories (Geneva Act 1999).
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Signed 1925
Launch signatories Early States of the Paris Union (1925 Hague Act)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
WIPO / OMPIConvention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization In force since 1970 Establishes WIPO, the UN agency administering the PCT, Madrid and Hague systems.
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Signed 1967
Launch signatories 51 signatory States of the Stockholm Conference (1967)
Administered by United Nations / WIPO Official website
IPC (Strasbourg)Strasbourg Agreement on the International Patent Classification In force since 1975 Establishes the IPC classification used by all patent offices.
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Signed 1971
Launch signatories Signatory States of the Strasbourg Agreement (1971)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
EPC / CBEEuropean Patent Convention In force since 1977 One examination at the EPO, then validation in the designated contracting states.
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Signed 1973 Contracting parties 40 Verified on 2026-06-01 · Membership source
EPC Contracting States only: validation and extension States are not EPC parties (Moldova became the 40th Contracting State on 1 June 2026).
Launch signatories 🇧🇪 Belgium🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇳🇱 Netherlands🇨🇭 Switzerland🇬🇧 United KingdomEPC contracting states — designation 🇲🇩 Moldova EPC contracting state from 2026-06-01 Designation: states party to the EPC, covered by the European patent itself.
Extension state 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina since 2004-12-01 Extension: effect extended to a non-EPC state on the basis of an extension agreement.
EPO validation states 🇲🇦 Morocco since 2015-03-01 🇹🇳 Tunisia since 2017-12-01 🇰🇭 Cambodia since 2018-03-01 🇬🇪 Georgia since 2024-01-15 🇱🇦 Laos since 2025-04-01 EPO validation: effect obtained in a non-EPC state on the basis of a validation agreement.
Associated territorial procedures 🇭🇰 Hong Kong — standard patent by re-registration based on a European patent application, then patent, designating the United Kingdom. Hong Kong: separate local re-registration procedure, neither a designation nor an EPO validation.
Administered by EPO / OEB Official website
PCTPatent Cooperation Treaty In force since 1978 Single international application, then national/regional phases within 30–31 months.
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Signed 1970
Launch signatories 🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇯🇵 Japan🇷🇺 Russia🇨🇭 Switzerland🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇺🇸 United Statesand 28 other signatory States (Washington, 1970)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
Budapest TreatyBudapest Treaty on the deposit of micro-organisms In force since 1980 A single deposit with an international depositary authority is recognised everywhere.
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Signed 1977
Launch signatories Signatory States of the Budapest Diplomatic Conference (1977)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
OAPI (Bangui)Bangui Agreement establishing the African Intellectual Property Organization In force since 1982 One filing produces a single title covering all member states (no national route).
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Signed 1977
Launch signatories French-speaking African States, successors to the 1962 Libreville Agreement
Administered by OAPI Official website
ARIPO (Harare)Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs (ARIPO) In force since 1984 Regional grant with effect in the designated ARIPO member states.
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Signed 1982 Contracting parties 21 Verified on 2026-08-09 · Membership source
Contracting States of the Harare Protocol (21), not the 22 ARIPO member states: ARIPO membership does not imply being bound by the Protocol.
Launch signatories English-speaking African States founding ARIPO
Administered by ARIPO Official website
EAPCEurasian Patent Convention In force since 1995 Single patent effective in the Eurasian member states.
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Signed 1994
Launch signatories 🇦🇲 Armenia🇦🇿 Azerbaijan🇧🇾 Belarus🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan🇲🇩 Moldova🇷🇺 Russia🇹🇯 Tajikistan🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
Administered by EAPO Official website
TRIPS / ADPICAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights In force since 1995 Sets minimum standards, including a 20-year patent term from filing.
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Signed 1994
Launch signatories Founding Members of the WTO (Marrakesh, 1994)
Administered by WTO / OMC Official website
PLTPatent Law Treaty In force since 2005 Harmonises and simplifies national formal requirements and filing-date rules.
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Signed 2000
Launch signatories Signatory States of the Geneva Diplomatic Conference (2000)
Pending / signed not in force 🇸🇻 El Salvador(entry into force not yet published)
Administered by WIPO / OMPI Official website
London AgreementLondon Agreement on the application of Article 65 EPC (translations) In force since 2008 Reduces or removes translation requirements when validating a European patent.
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Signed 2000
Launch signatories 🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇳🇱 Netherlands🇨🇭 Switzerlandand other early EPC ratifying States
Administered by EPO / OEB Official website
Unitary PatentUnitary patent regulations (EU 1257/2012 and 1260/2012) In force since 2023 Turns a granted European patent into one right covering the participating states.
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Signed 2012
Launch signatories EU Member States in enhanced cooperation (25 in 2012)
Pending / signed not in force 🇨🇾 Cyprus(entry into force not yet published) 🇨🇿 Czechia(entry into force not yet published) 🇬🇷 Greece(entry into force not yet published) 🇭🇺 Hungary(entry into force not yet published) 🇮🇪 Ireland(entry into force not yet published) 🇸🇰 Slovakia(entry into force not yet published)
Administered by EPO / EU Official website
UPCA / AJUBAgreement on a Unified Patent Court In force since 2023 Single court for unitary patents and, unless opted out, for classical European patents.
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Signed 2013
Launch signatories 25 EU Member States, signatories in 2013
Pending / signed not in force 🇨🇾 Cyprus(entry into force not yet published) 🇨🇿 Czechia(entry into force not yet published) 🇬🇷 Greece(entry into force not yet published) 🇭🇺 Hungary(entry into force not yet published) 🇮🇪 Ireland(entry into force not yet published) 🇸🇰 Slovakia(entry into force not yet published)
Administered by UPC / JUB Official website