Fry Heath & Spence

24/04/2024

The Unitary Patent system has been in force for nearly a year now and the European Patent Office's helpful guidance notes and comments can be found at

Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court Unitary PatentOverview Main navigation Legal framework Unitary Patent Guide Main features Applying for a Unitary Patent Cost of a Unitary Patent Translation and compensation Start date https://www.epo.org/en/node/unitary-patent Home Applying for a patent Europea...

06/03/2023

The German government deposited its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) with the Council of the European Union on 17 February 2023. Following this step, the Unitary Patent system should enter into operation on 1 June 2023.

17/02/2022

It is expected that launch of the European Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court (UPC) will take place before the end of 2022.
If Germany deposits its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) eg on 20 May 2022. The UPCA would in such a case enter into force on the first day of the fourth month after this deposit, i.e. on 1 September 2022.
(see https://www.epo.org/news-events/news/2022/20220208.html)

EPO President Campinos met with Alexander Ramsay, Chair of the UPC Preparatory Committee, and Jérôme Debrulle, Chair of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council in charge of the Unitary Patent.

02/02/2021

The rules relating to the requirement for an address for service for intellectual property rights in the UK have changed. From 1 January 2021, if you file an new application for a patent, a trade mark or a design at the UKIPO you must have an address for service in the UK, Gibraltar or the Channel Islands.
(see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/address-for-service-for-intellectual-property-rights-from-1-january-2021)

The rules governing address for service for intellectual property rights in the UK have changed.

23/06/2020

The UK IPO has declared that its 'interrupted days' period will end on 29th July.
This will mean that the first normal day of operation when all 'interrupted days' deadlines expire will be Thursday, 30th July.
see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ipo-interrupted-days

05/06/2020

The UKIPO say that they reviewed interrupted days on 29 May and they have decided to continue with the period of interruption. The next update will be on 22 June. they will give customers advance notice (at least 2 weeks) to plan prior to the end of interrupted days. See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ipo-interrupted-days?fbclid=IwAR0Tr8bY96GQlo3azrNQRhg4-HeVqlcM9XpRg_hpEs8bfUf2Z73LkbDvXuM

14/05/2020

The UKIPO says that it reviewed whether to continue with interrupted days on 7 May and they decided to continue with the period of interruption. They say that they will review again on 28 May. They will give customers advance notice (at least 2 weeks) to plan prior to the end of interrupted days. This means that deadlines have been extended until at least 11 June 2020.
see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ipo-interrupted-days

04/05/2020

The European Patent Office has updated their information and guidance relating to disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
All time limits relating to European patents and patent applications, which expire on or after 15 March 2020 are further extended until 2 June 2020.
If disruption continues after 2 June 2020, the EPO may publish a notice informing users about further extensions and remedies in respect of time limits.
see

This text is intended for publication in the Official Journal (OJ) of the EPO. It is made available in advance on the EPO website merely as a courtesy to the public. Only the text subsequently published in the officially certified PDF file of the OJ is authentic. It cannot be guaranteed that this ad...

20/04/2020

The UK Intellectual Property Office say that they reviewed the situation on 17 April and, due to a continuation of government restrictions to combat the Coronavirus outbreak and disruption to customers, they have decided to continue with the period of interruption.

They will carry out a further review on 7 May and they will either continue with the period of interruption or announce that the period will end.

To support rights holders, businesses and IP professionals to plan ahead the UKIPO say that they will provide a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice before ending the interrupted days period.

see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-important-update-on-ipo-services

17/04/2020

The European Patent Office has updated their information and guidance relating to disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
All time limits relating to European patents and patent applications, which expire on or after 15 March 2020 are further extended until 4 May 2020.
If disruption continues after 4 May 2020, the EPO may publish a notice informing users about further extensions and remedies in respect of time limits.
see

This text is intended for publication in the Official Journal (OJ) of the EPO. It is made available in advance on the EPO website merely as a courtesy to the public. Only the text subsequently published in the officially certified PDF file of the OJ is authentic. It cannot be guaranteed that this ad...

07/04/2020

The European Patent Office has today updated their information and guidance relating to disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
All time limits relating to European patents and patent applications, which expire on or after 15 March 2020 are extended until 17 April 2020.
If disruption continues after 17 April 2020, the EPO may publish a notice informing users about further extensions and remedies in respect of time limits.
See:

In view of the present situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the European Patent Office (EPO) is adopting the following preventive measures.

07/04/2020

The UKIPO has decided to declare 24 March, and subsequent days until further notice, interrupted days. The situation will be reviewed on 17 April 2020 and the UKIPO will either continue with the period of interruption or announce that the period will end after a further two weeks.This means that at present any deadlines for
patents,
supplementary protection certificates,
trade marks
designs,
and applications for these rights, which fall on an interrupted day will be extended until 5 May 2020.
see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-important-update-on-ipo-services