Through Resolution 142/2026, the Argentinian Patent Office (INPI) amended the accelerated prosecution regime for patent applications established under Resolution P-56/2016, broadening the circumstances under which Applicants may access the fast-track procedure based on examinations carried out by foreign patent offices.
By this resolution, the INPI eliminated the time restriction for requesting fast-track examination. Before, Applicants could only request accelerated prosecution of Argentinian applications before substantive examination had begun. Now, this request may be filed at any stage of prosecution, i.e., even after receiving substantive examination, provided that a final decision granting or rejecting has not yet been issued.
The remaining requirements are maintained, thus, in order to request accelerated examination, (i) the claims in Argentina must be identical to or narrower than those granted by the corresponding foreign patent office; (ii) such office must apply patentability standards similar to those of Argentina; and (iii) the invention must not be considered unpatentable under Law No. 24,481.
The measure comes amid ongoing discussions regarding the modernization of the Argentine patent system, particularly addressing the backlog problem, and would definitely become a useful tool for Applicants in this jurisdiction.
