Protecting Industrial Property Rights

An application for a patent may contain a declaration claiming priority, as provided for in the Paris Convention, of one or more earlier national, regional or international applications filed by the applicant or his predecessor in title in or of any state party to the Paris Convention.

The declaration must include, in respect of each earlier application: -

1. the date and number of the earlier application;
2. the symbol of the international patent classification that was assigned to the earlier application or, if no such symbol has been assigned, a statement of that fact;
3. if the earlier application was a national application, the name of the state in which it was filed; and
4. if the earlier application was a regional or international application, the name of the office in which it was filed and the name of the state for which it was filed.
5. If the number of the earlier application is not known at the time of making the declaration, a statement of that fact must be included in the declaration and the declaration must be amended to include the number within ninety days after the application containing the declaration is made.
6. A certified copy of the earlier application.