Argentina and the PCT: A strategic opportunity for innovation

Argentina’s accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) would represent a significant advantage for the country’s economic, technological, and business development. This system allows applicants to file a single international patent application with potential effects in multiple member States, thereby avoiding the need to simultaneously initiate numerous separate national proceedings. In addition, the PCT grants applicants a period of up to 30 months (or 31 months in the case of the European patent system) to decide in which countries or Offices they wish to seek protection for their invention, substantially reducing the initial costs of internationalization and facilitating access to global patent protection.

Accession to the PCT would particularly benefit Argentine innovative companies, startups, universities, and individual inventors. According to recent research conducted by Universidad Austral, a significant number of Argentine innovative SMEs have abandoned international patent protection projects due to the high costs and difficulties arising from Argentina’s non-accession to the system.

Furthermore, comparative experience demonstrates that membership in the PCT may lead to an increase in patent filings and, consequently, foster technological development. Spain provides a clear example of this trend, as a substantial number of patent applications and granted patents there originate from international applications filed through the PCT system. This phenomenon shows how the system promotes innovative activity and improves the competitiveness of economic actors in globalized markets.

Finally, Argentina’s accession to the PCT appears not only as a convenient measure from an economic and technological perspective, but also as a consequence of international commitments recently undertaken by the country. In particular, the 2026 Agreement between the United States and Argentina on Reciprocal Trade and Investments contemplates the submission of the PCT for consideration by the Argentine Congress. Consequently, accession to the system would strengthen Argentina’s international position in the field of industrial property and improve its integration into the knowledge-based economy.