On 14 July 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization announced that the PCT Assembly had approved the appointment of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Once operational, IMPI will become the 26th PCT International Authority and the third in Latin America and the Caribbean. In practical terms, it will be able to issue international search reports and written opinions, and to carry out international preliminary examination when requested by applicants.
The appointment broadens the regional reach of PCT search and examination services and may give applicants in Mexico and neighbouring markets an option that is closer in language, time zone and technical context. It should not, however, be treated as an immediate service launch. The start date, accepted languages, fees and technical fields still need to be confirmed through subsequent PCT publications and the PCT Applicant’s Guide. Applicants should compare those details with existing ISA and IPEA options before changing filing or prosecution strategy.
