Patent backlog in Brazil: slow, but welcome, progress

In 2017, the number of pending patent applications awaiting a final decision was reduced by 7.6%. The backlog reduction was the result of a combination of factors, including a 25% increase in the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office’s (INPI) staff, optimisation of internal procedures, and improvements in the INPI’s electronic systems in particular.

These proposed measures were promising, but 2017 still closed with worrying backlog statistics (Figure 1).