April 4, 2002

By Okan Can, Attorney At Law

For PCT applications under chapter I, the term for Turkish national phase entry has been extended to 30 months.

It has been published in the Official Patent Bulletin No. 68 dated February 21, 2002 that in compliance with the amendment in Article 22 of PCT which came into force on April 1, 2002, the 20-month period for entering the national phase under Chapter I has been extended to 30 months. This amendment will apply to those applications for which the 20-month period has not expired on the date this amendment came into force.

According to Article 5 of the Implementing Regulations of Decree-Law No. 551 pertaining to the protection of patents and utility models, the 3-month period with fine in addition to the above mentioned term for Turkish national phase entry will continue to apply, namely the Turkish national phase can be entered both under Chapter I and II in a 30-month plus 3-month grace period.