EFFECTIVE DATES AND APPLICATION.

SEC. 534. EFFECTIVE DATES AND APPLICATION. (a) In General.—Subject to subsection (b), the amendments made by this subtitle take effect on the date that is one year after the date on which the WTO Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States. (b) Patent Applications.— (1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by section 532 take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to all patent applications filed in the United States on or after the effective date. (2) Section 154(a)(1).—Section 154(a)(1) of title 35, United States Code, as amended by section 532(a)(l) of this Act, shall take effect on the effective date described in subsection (a). (3) Earliest filing.—The term of a patent granted on an application that is filed on or after the effective date described in subsection (a) and that contains a specific reference to an earlier application filed under the provisions of section 120, 121, or 365(c) of title 35, United States Code, shall be measured from the filing date of the earliest filed application.