News & Resources
29.01.18
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January 2018 bulletin
PCT fees changes as of 1 January 2018
- The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) fee structure changed on 1 January 2018. Please see http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/pct/en/fees.pdf
UK patent fees changes on 6 April 2018
- On 6 April 2018, the Government is introducing a number of changes to the fees for applying for patent protection and renewing granted patents. Please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-patents-fees-coming-into-force-on-6-april-2018/new-patent-fees-guidance-for-business
US patent fees changes as of 16 January 2018
- There will be a change in the following national fees, payable to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as designated (or elected) Office with effect from 16 January 2018. Please see http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pctndocs/en/2017/pct_news_2017_12.pdf
Unitary Patent Guide
- The first edition of “Unitary Patent Guide” is now available. It aims to provide companies, inventors and their representatives with an outline of the procedure involved in obtaining a Unitary Patent from the European Patent Office (EPO) once it has granted a European patent on the basis of the provisions laid down in the European Patent Convention (EPC). Please see http://www.epo.org/law-practice/unitary/unitary-patent/unitary-patent-guide.html
EPO agreement with Tunisia entered into force on 1 December 2017
- An agreement allowing European patent applications and patents to be validated for Tunisia also enters into force.
EU Commission sets middle course for SEP licensing in Europe
- The EU Commission has published a document on standard essential patent (SEP) licensing entitled “Setting out the EU approach to Standard Essential Patents” containing 14 pages of key principles aimed at fostering a “balanced, smooth and predictable framework for SEPs”. The key principles reflect two stated objectives: (1) incentivising the development and inclusion of technologies in standards by providing fair/adequate return and (2) ensuring fair access to standardized technologies to promote wide dissemination.Please see http://ipkitten.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/eu-commission-sets-middle-course-for.html
WIPO Translate extends language coverage
- World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)’s ground-breaking “artificial intelligence”-based translation tool for patent documents is now available in ten languages, marking an important expansion of the highest-quality service yet available for accessing information on new technologies. Please see http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2017/article_0007.html
China Tops Patent, Trademark, Design Filings in 2016
- Worldwide filings for patents, trademarks and industrial designs reached record heights in 2016 amid soaring demand in China, which received more patent applications than the combined total for the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the EPO. Please see http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2017/article_0013.html
New EPO president
- The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation has elected António Campinos as President of the EPO. His five-year term will start on 1 July 2018. Please see https://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2017/20171011.html
Teaching IP to kids
- The UK IPO has come up with an innovative way to teach about IP to kids by making a cartoon series of famous characters. Please see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-nancy-and-the-meerkats-resources