(BRPTO Official Gazette #2,377, of July 26, 2016)The BRPTO published today, July 26, 2016, the awaited Rule #169/2016 implementing the guidelines for the examination of patent applications on patentability requirements (Block II of the Patent Examination Guidelines).The BRPTO has issued three guidelines for the examination of patent applications.On April 2013, the BRPTO published Rule #85/2013, which implements the examination guidelines for utility model applications. On December 2013, the BRPTO published Rule #124/2013 implementing Block I of the patent examination guidelines, which covers the formal aspects and the dra ing of a patent application. Then, on March 2015, the BRPTO published Rule #144/2015, on the examination guidelines of patent applications in biotechnology arts.In addition, there is a pending guideline covering the examination of patent applications claiming computer-implemented inventions. It was under public consultation in 2012 and its adoption date remains uncertain.The original Rule #169/2016 in Portuguese can be downloaded here. Licks Attorneys will provide an English version shortly.