The Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI) is an intergovernmental organization established by the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. It operates as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The VPI fills a territorial gap within the global system of the PCT, providing services for Central and Eastern Europe.

Its Administrative Board, composed of representatives from each contracting state, governs the VPI. The institute carries out various patent-related services through its branch offices. The VPI Secretariat manages the organization's work and serves as the interface for external parties.

The Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Slovak branch offices, as receiving offices, fulfill their tasks under the PCT. The VPI offers services such as international search, international preliminary examination, supplementary international searches, novelty search service, and more. Additionally, the institute has a Knowledge Hub that shares research, statistics, and best practices related to international patenting in the Visegrad countries.

For more information, visit their website or contact the VPI Secretariat directly