(BRPTO’s website communication of April 13th, 2018)The BRPTO and the DKPTO signed, on April 12, 2018, a memorandum in order to implement a PPH Pilot program between both Offices. The agreement will be in force for two years and up to 100 applications could be accepted into the program per year.The technical fields eligible by the BRPTO are Mechanical Engineering, Lighting, Heating, Weapons and Explosives. Pharma-related applications are excluded from the program. The DKPTO will not restrict its program to specific technical fields.The participation in the program will be also limited to one application per month per applicant, except in the last month of the program.Brazil is the first country in South America to establish a cooperation agreement with the DKPTO.The BRPTO has been making efforts to reduce the patent backlog. This will be the seventh PPH program to be implemented by the BRPTO and the second signed in less than a month, since the BRPTO signed a PPH program with the UKIPO last March (you can find more information here).