IP, Industry and Case Law

Now that the last reform of Intellectual Property by the Act on the Simplification and Modernisation of German Patent Law was more than 10 years ago, it was time to review whether the current legal regulations still meet the requirements that effective and balanced protection of Intellectual Property Rights demands. In patent and utility model […]

Both the European Patent Convention (EPC) and the UK Patents Act prohibit the patenting of diagnostic methods practised on the human or animal body[1]. The intention behind this exclusion is to avoid patent infringement being a concern for medical and veterinary practitioners when carrying out diagnostic examinations. However, in practice the exclusion is interpreted quite […]

Patent Term Extension – Supplementary Protection Certificates A Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) is a special extension to the period of protection provided by a patent. SPCs are only available for patents relating to active ingredients in medicinal, veterinary or plant protection products. The purpose of an SPC is to compensate the patent holder for the […]

The concept of plausibility is not mentioned in either the UK Patents Act or the European Patent Convention. However, it has become an increasingly common talking point and has featured in numerous decisions of both the UK courts and the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office. The requirement for “plausibility” can be considered […]

Ever been attacked by a “straw man”? No? Well that might be because this normally happens only in horror movies. Nevertheless, to a patent attorney this could be a real possibility when representing clients in opposition proceedings at the EPO. It has long been established in EPO case law that an opposition against a European […]

The fundamental importance of antibodies can be seen in the pharmaceutical industry’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Antibodies are a vital part of the adaptive immune system, enabling the recognition of a plethora of different antigens. In healthcare, the specific binding of antibodies to a particular target protein means that they are also immensely important […]

If you’re reading this article you will probably know that it is a patent claim that defines the monopoly sought. Because of this, it is often regarded as the most important part of a patent application and whilst this may or may not be true, it is certain that the claims are subject to the […]

Nick Wallin is a Partner at Withers & Rogers and head of our Electronics, Computing & Physics group. He recently shared his thoughts with Computing about how a lack of IP protection could make Zoom’s success short-lived. In the space of just a few weeks in the Spring of last year, video conferencing platform Zoom […]

A recent judgement relating to software patents has put to rest earlier concerns about the law being of an Orwellian nature similar to… ‘All software patents are equal – but some software patents are more equal than others.’ The G1/19 decision by the European Patent Office issued on 10 March gives absolute clarity on a […]

It is important to ensure that a patent application correctly claims priority.  There have been a number of cases before the EPO where this has not been done and the priority date has been lost, resulting in the application being refused, or the granted patent being revoked, due to prior art published during the priority […]

In our previous article ‘UK companies still overpaying corporation tax’, we examined the slow uptake of the Patent Box scheme and how UK-based businesses are still missing out on significant corporate tax savings. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, unveiled his 2021 budget, it became evident that the Patent Box scheme could now […]

Data1 recently released by HMRC indicates that relief claimed under the Patent Box scheme in the 2018-2019 fiscal year increased by only 2.6% from the previous year, suggesting that companies are still missing out on huge savings in corporation tax. What is the Patent Box scheme? The Patent Box enables companies who have patented their […]

One of the requirements for an invention to be patentable before the EPO is that the invention is novel. Novelty over a prior art disclosure is commonly conferred by the presence of at least one feature which is not disclosed in the relevant prior art document. However, this is not the only method. For example, […]

Last June saw the UK Supreme Court in Regeneron v Kymab overturn a decision from the Court of Appeal on sufficiency. They raised the bar to require that the disclosure of a patent supports substantially every embodiment of the claims (for our previous report of this case, see here). We have now seen the first […]

The Brexit transition period came to an end on 31 December 2020 and the real effects on IP rights of the UK leaving the EU took effect from 1 January 2021. Renewals – Post Brexit there is no need to change how you interact with us to manage your IP rights renewals. Click here for […]

The Brexit transition period came to an end on 31 December 2020 and changes to IP rights started to take effect on 1 January 2021. As a European firm, we can continue to cater for your needs in both the EU and the UK. There’s no need to change how you interact with us to […]

The German Upper Chamber (the Bundesrat) has now approved the UPC (Unified Patent Court) agreement. The final step for the UPC to be brought into German law is the signature by German’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier which we expect shortly (baring any further constitutional objections). As we reported in November, German Parliament’s Lower Chamber (the Bundestag) […]

A two-thirds majority has now been established in the Bundestag for the UPC (Unified Patent Court) Agreement. As we reported in March the German Constitutional Court ruled that UPC (Unified Patent Court) ratification at that time would be unconstitutional in Germany due to the failure of the Bundestag to secure a two-thirds majority of all […]

The UK High Court has recently granted an interim injunction in a battle between two battery separator manufacturers, Celgard and Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Company (“Senior”), over accusations of the unlawful acquisition of trade secrets. The judgement can be found here. Celgard (a US manufacturer of battery separators) brought proceedings against Senior (a Chinese manufacturer […]

The UK Court of Appeal has recently upheld a judgement of the UK High Court (see here), refusing an application for a preliminary injunction (see here). The case concerns two anti-insomnia drugs, Circadin and Slenyto, marketed by the claimants Neurim Pharmaceuticals and their licensee Flynn Pharma, respectively. The claimants sought interim injunctive relief to restrain […]

CJEU reverses Neurim and rejects possibility of SPCs for new therapeutic applications of previously authorised products On 9 July 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its decision in Santen SAS v Directeur général de l’Institut national de la propriété industrielle (C-673/18), concluding that it is not possible to obtain […]

The UK Supreme Court has overturned a decision from the Court of Appeal to find two of Regeneron’s transgenic mouse patents invalid for sufficiency. The effect of this judgement is that the bar on sufficiency has been returned to requiring that the disclosure of a patent supports substantially every embodiment of the claims. For the […]

The major IP offices that we deal with have reacted to the COVID-19 outbreak in various ways as follows: European Patent Office: The EPO has published a dedicated webpage tracking their response to COVID-19 disruption. Their earlier blanket extension provision has been lifted, and from 2 June 2020, extensions to deadlines, and forgiveness for missed […]

This Enlarged Board is for turning – Plants and animals produced by essentially biological processes are now NOT patentable The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office has issued its decision in G3/19 (Pepper), concluding that plants and animals exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes are not patentable (see the opinion here). G3/19 […]

It could be a good time to spring-clean your IP portfolio – how to go about it In these unusual times of lockdown, many people have turned to tidying up their gardens and spring cleaning their houses.  Let’s face it, we’re all spending a lot more time at home and many people have a bit […]

In the latest development in the SkyKick saga, the UK High Court has handed down its judgment, finding SkyKick liable for infringement of Sky’s trade marks. Those following the case will be aware that the CJEU handed down its judgment earlier this year following a referral from the High Court on questions of the validity […]

The German Constitutional Court today partially upheld the complaint by Ingve Stjerna that the UPC (Unified Patent Court) is unconstitutional in Germany. The Court ruled that the failure of the Bundestag to secure a two-thirds majority of all Members for the UPC legislation, a matter concerning constitutional change, was unlawful. This will undoubtedly further delay […]

“The EUIPO has issued a Decision stating that all EUIPO deadlines falling due from 9 March 2020 to 30 April 2020 inclusive are extended until 1 May 2020 (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). We understand that this will not apply to Paris Convention cases filed with the EUIPO. We intend to send you individual emails on […]

The EPO has issued a courtesy advance notice stating that it expects to extend EPO deadlines falling due from 15 March to 16 April 2020 inclusive until 17 April 2020 (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). We understand that this will not apply to Paris Convention cases filed with the EPO, or possibly divisional deadlines, but will […]

Published on 19 March 2018, the legal text of the draft Withdrawal Agreement sets out the terms upon which UK and EU negotiators have reached a settlement, subject to minor technical legal revisions. In particular, the text provides some clarity on the extended protection of European Union trade mark registrations (EUTMs) (including International Registrations designating […]

Cosmetics and personal care brands are increasingly selecting short, snappy and simplistic trade marks to capture consumers’ attention in a saturated market. The digital age continually presents new challenges, prompting brands to shift their focus from traditional over-the-shelf transactions to the multi-dimensional online realm in which endorsements by social media influencers and hashtag led marketing […]

What are the benefits? When I talk to product or brand designers who haven’t concerned themselves much with Intellectual Property (IP) rights, be it manufacturers of consumer products, or designers themselves, they quite rightly want to know why it’s worth spending the money to get rights registered. Some designers consider IP purely a client problem, […]

According to market research, the global cosmetics industry is forecast to be worth $675 billion by 2020. However, the trend for bloggers and social media influencers to actively encourage consumers to buy cheap copies of higher-end products known as “dupes” has made creating and maintaining a strong, cosmetics brand particularly challenging.  Dupes tend to have […]

The UK Supreme Court has handed down their judgement in Shanks v Unilever [2019] UKSC 45 (found here)  in which they considered the issue of employee compensation, and under what circumstances would an employee be entitled to further compensation for an invention they had invented as part of their normal duties. The decision of the […]

A recent case (T1003/19) has highlighted what can go wrong at the grant stage of a European patent, but gives hope for applicants that have not checked the text intended for grant as closely as they might have done. The decision by the Board of Appeal essentially found that if there is enough evidence that […]

Anyone involved with patent prosecution will know that deadlines are an everyday fact of life.  Missing a time limit set by the European Patent Office (EPO) can result in a loss of rights, which can be irreversible. This article discusses a decision by the EPO Board of Appeal on a case where a deadline was […]

Through the ability of Artificial Intelligence, the health care sector can find solutions to effective treatment to cure diseases.   Partner, Adrian Tombling explores why AI is huge for drug research and what impact this could have on the pharmaceutical industry. As AI is created by a computer, it does raise the question, who owns […]

A unanimous decision by the Supreme Court is being hailed as a relief for innovators in the pharmaceutical sector, and confirms that novel and inventive dosage regimes are patentable. Tadalafil (Cialis) is a second in class PDE5 inhibitor for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This use of tadalafil was first disclosed in EP 0839040 (the […]

The eagerly awaited Supreme Court judgment in the Warner-Lambert V Generics (UK) and Actavis case has recently been issued (see here), a full nine months after the hearing in February 2018. This is the final step in a saga which has been ongoing for years, and which is of huge importance to the pharmaceutical industry. […]

In a recent decision by the Court of Appeal, Judge Lord Kitchin applied the principles of Actavis vs Eli Lilly (Actavis) to rule upon a patent infringement dispute in Icescape v Ice-World (see here). As previously reported, the landmark Actavis judgement was a 2017 decision from the Supreme Court that essentially changed the decades-old understanding […]

Court of Appeal gives verdict on long running Unwired Planet v Huawei dispute For several years litigation has been rumbling on between Unwired Planet and Huawei regarding Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) held by Unwired Planet. For the uninitiated, SEPs are patents that must be used to comply with an industry standard, and are common in […]

Why should you consider patent protection for your Blockchain technology? Partner, Philip Horler explains the role of Blockchain in anti-counterfeiting and the benefits of protecting the technology.  Philip Horler Electronics, Computing & Physics group If you require further information on anything covered in this briefing, please contact Philip Horler (phorler@withersrogers.com; +44 207 940 3600) […]

On 24 September 2018, the UK government released guidance on the impact of a no-deal Brexit on EU trade marks. The guidance has not yet been enacted as legislation; and its sole aim is to clarify the UK’s intended actions should we encounter a no-deal Brexit, resulting in the UK leaving the European Union on […]

Many inventions require their features to be defined in terms of a numerical range. For example, a manufacturing process may be operable over a range of temperatures, or a material composition may be produced using components combined in a range of proportions. A patent application usually provides one or more examples of the working invention […]

A recent decision of the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court ruling in an ongoing dispute between GSK and Vectura Limited has once again brought the validity of Arrow declarations to the forefront of UK patent law. An Arrow declaration provides commercial certainty or freedom to operate surrounding the marketing of a product […]

Canada has ratified the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. Canada can be designated in new Hague design filings from 5 November 2018. The Hague Agreement enables applicants to seek protection of registered designs/design patents in 69 territories (that includes all European Union member states, USA, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the […]

On 7 June 2018 in the case of Scotch Whisky Association v Michael Klotz[1], the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) was asked to determine whether use of the term “Glen” by Michael Klotz, a producer of a German whisky called “Glen Buchenbach”, indirectly and unlawfully infringed the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Scotch […]

The UK Government published its white paper regarding “The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union” (found here). This provides the strongest indication yet that the UK Government will act to stay a part of the Unitary Patent Package (UPP) after Brexit. The UK Government had already stated that it is planning […]

Further to the news of the ratification of the Hague Agreement by the UK on 13 March this year, the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has published the following declarations with further information for applicants wishing to register their designs in the UK and abroad in a single application: –  International registered design applications designating […]

Sam Gyimah MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, announced yesterday (26 April 2018) that the UK has ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA). The announcement came during Mr Gyimah’s speech at the IPAN World IP Day event held in the House of Commons. Mr Gyimah said “Ratification of […]

For a product to qualify for SPC protection, the product must be “protected” by a basic patent in force.  The CJEU has previously stated that “protected” means something more than simply falling within the granted claim scope.  In a referral from the High Court of England and Wales in Teva v Gilead (C-121/17), Mr Justice […]

The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) has elected Tania Clark, partner in Withers & Rogers’ Trade Mark group, as its new President. Tania commenced her two-year term on 10 April 2018.

Earlier this year, the European Patent Office (EPO) published a decision allowing a petition for review (see R4/17), bringing the grand total of allowed petitions to eight, out of a total of 151 filed. As is evident from this small total, the petitioner rarely triumphs. In brief, a petition for review is a formal request […]

One of the requirements for obtaining SPC protection for a product is that the product must be subject to a marketing authorisation and the product must also be “protected” by a patent.  The CJEU ruled that the meaning of “protected” is narrower than simply infringing the claim, without saying where exactly the boundary between protected […]

Following a Decision of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (found here), it is now possible to pay the third year renewal fee for European patent (EP) applications up to six months in advance of the due date. Previously, with regard to all renewal fees due for an EP application, it was only […]

In June 2017, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced a freeze on inflation-based official fee increases for 2018. Instead, the EPO will selectively adjust certain official fees, effective from 1 April 2018. These fee adjustments, summarised below, relate to the handling of PCT applications, online filings and appeal fees. International (PCT) applications where the EPO […]

Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interdisciplinary field of computer science with the goal of enabling machines to behave and reason in an intelligent manner.  Early approaches to AI centred on rule-based systems.  Such systems were configured to operate within highly constrained environments where the behaviour of the AI system was specified beforehand using formal […]

The UK has now ratified the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs.  This means that from 13 June 2018 the UK can be designated in new international design applications under the Hague system. International design applications allow applicants to submit a single design application to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual […]

Following the UK IPO’s consultation[1] on patent fees, the UK IPO has decided to go ahead with a number of changes[2] to the fees for applying for patent protection and renewing granted patents. These changes include both increases to current fees, and the introduction of new fees. These changes will come into effect on 6 […]

This week saw the first decision from the EPO Opposition Division related to the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology.  The patent in question, EP2771468, which was granted to the Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard University was revoked after the filing of nine oppositions. The PCT application from which EP2771468 derived was filed naming Broad, MIT and […]

The Russian Federation has ratified the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. Russia can be designated in new Hague design filings from 28 February 2018. The Hague Agreement enables applicants to seek protection of registered designs/design patents in 67 territories (that includes all European Union member states, USA, South Korea and Japan) […]

A decision by the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal has been published with respect to some questions raised in relation to undisclosed disclaimers.  Undisclosed disclaimers are a common means of amending a claim to exclude subject that: a) is disclosed in an earlier patent document under Article 54(3) EPC; b) represents an accidental anticipation in […]

On 5 December 2017 the European Commission together with the European Union Intellectual Property Office published a notice regarding the effect of Brexit on EU trade marks and community designs. The notice confirms that as of the date of withdrawal of the UK from the EU (expected to be 29 March 2019) and subject to […]

Earlier this year the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by Professor Ian Alexander Shanks (Shanks) against an earlier dismissal of his appeal against the decision of Hearing Officer, Mr Julyan Elbro, dismissing his claim for employee compensation in favour of the defendants Unilever PLC, Unilever NV and Unilever UK Central Resources Limited (Unilever). The […]

At first glance, it seems straightforward to assign intellectual property rights from one entity to another.  A recent decision by the EPO’s Board of Appeal in T1201/14 (see here) shows that it can, and relatively often does, go wrong. According to European jurisprudence it is generally accepted that the right to claim priority arising from […]

Supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) (as provided under EU Regulation (EC) No. 469/2009) are intended to compensate patent proprietors for any potential loss of exclusivity due to the long regulatory approval procedures required to get new drugs onto the market. To this end SPCs can provide up to five years of patent term extension in relation […]

On 1 November 2017, the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling against The London Taxi Corporation Ltd (“LTC”) in favour of defendants Frazer-Nash Research Limited (“FRN”) and Ecotive Limited (“Ecotive”). LTC had argued that their UK and EU registered trade marks, which depict models of its taxis, were being infringed by FRN and Ecotive’s model […]

In July 2017 the Supreme Court judgment in the Actavis v Eli Lilly case (“Actavis”) changed the way we will assess the scope of patent claims in the UK (see here for an overview).  The Actavis judgment did not touch on whether the change to the way that scope of claims is determined for the […]

The Intellectual Property (Unjustified Threats) Act 2017 came into force on 1 October 2017. The new law comes as the result of a consultation process triggered by the Law Commission in April 2013. UK law provides for protection against groundless threats of infringement proceedings by the holder of a patent, trade mark, unregistered design right […]

Under the UK Trade Marks Act 1994, a certification mark is defined in Section 50(1) as: “a mark indicating that the goods or services in connection with which it is used are certified by the proprietor of the mark in respect of origin, material, mode of manufacture of goods or performance of services, quality, accuracy […]

Webmarking Since 1 October 2014, patent holders have been able to better protect their patents through webmarks, a system whereby patent holders use a web address to mark their patented products instead of patent numbers. This system benefits patent holders as it removes the difficulties associated with having to include the patent number on every […]

On 7 September, the European Commission released their position paper on the treatment of all intellectual property (IP) rights post Brexit. IP rights include EU trade marks, registered and unregistered community designs, geographical indications and community plant variety rights. The Commission’s guiding principle is that the protection of unitary rights enjoyed in the United Kingdom […]

On Thursday 24 August, Lithuania ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA), bringing the total number of ratifications to fourteen. As it stands, applicants will be able to protect their inventions in at least 16 countries (the existing 14 plus UK and Germany) with a single Unitary Patent (UP) when the system is […]

Inventors and applicants are often surprised to learn that the European Patent Convention (EPC) does not formally require a patent application to include experimental data. However, it has long been understood that any technical effect of an invention can only be relied upon to support an inventive step to the extent that the application as […]

Estonia has ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA). Estonia’s ratification means that the geographical protection provided by the Unitary Patent (UP) upon implementation will cover to at least 15 countries. The complete list of countries to have ratified the UPCA can be found here but must also include the UK and Germany […]

The long running patent dispute between Actavis and Eli Lilly (Lilly) has now reached its zenith, with the UK Supreme Court decision issued 12th July (see here).  The Supreme Court allowed Lilly’s appeal and held that Actavis’ products directly infringe Eli Lilly’s patent in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain.  This momentous decision has […]

The UK has set in motion the legislative process to remove the final legal impediment to ratification of the UPCA. The UKIPO has confirmed today that the Unified Patent Court (UPC) related Statutory Instrument (the “Order on Privileges and Immunities”) has been laid before Parliament, alongside equivalent legislation for Scotland being scheduled for discussion in […]

Victoria Plum Ltd v Victorian Plumbing Ltd [2016] EWHC 2911 was a trade mark case in which the issues of keyword advertising and honest concurrent use were intertwined.  The case highlights the fact that the ‘honesty’ of trade mark use can differ between the online and offline environments. The case also saw a successful counterclaim for […]

Please note: This High Court decision has been overturned and referred to the CJEU. Click here to read our latest update. In good news for pharmaceutical patent owners, the England and Wales High Court has confirmed here that an SPC is allowable for a compound that is not specifically identified in a patent but (a) […]

Tania Clark, partner and trade mark attorney said: “This decision is a blow for Nestle and its attempt to register a trade mark for the four-fingered shape of its KitKat chocolate bar, which began in 2010, has been rejected by the Court of Appeal. “The Court of Appeal’s decision means rival manufacturers such as Cadbury […]

It has been announced that the UK intends to ratify the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs by 31st March 2018 and will be in a position to launch the service on 6th April 2018. The Hague Agreement enables applicants to seek protection of registered designs/design patents in over 66 territories through a […]

The UK High Court holds that there can only be one set of licencing terms that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) for a given situation, FRAND royalties should be based on a common portfolio benchmark rate for all licensees, and in this case a licence restricted to one jurisdiction is not FRAND. It is […]

Where previously a European patent may have only been validated in, say, five EU countries, the Unitary Patent will eventually cover 25 of the 28 member states for a lower cost to that of the five previously. These “bonus” countries could provide unexpected benefits to companies. Infringements can arise anytime and anywhere, so the impressive […]

The Unified Patent Court will resolve cases much more quickly than is possible under the current system. If a case is brought, it will be processed and a judgment passed down within a year. This means that businesses can bring their case to court more quickly if needed. The Court also intends to hear trials […]

SMEs can greatly benefit from the Unitary Patent (UP) and the UPC. Not only does the UP provide substantial savings on renewal fees across the entire (eventual) 25 UP territories but the UPC also offers several other benefits to SMEs. Firstly, the UPC offers a centralised approach for European IP disputes (substantially cheaper than multiple […]

Following UK Prime Minister, Theresa May’s speech of 17 January 2017 and subsequent comments, we now have greater clarity regarding the “bespoke” nature of the UK’s leaving of the European Union. There is no doubt, following her speech, that the intent of the UK executive government is that the UK will no longer be a […]

The use of numerical ranges and values to accurately describe the amount of ingredients present in a composition or formulation is a widely used approach in patent specifications, especially in the field of pharmaceuticals and formulation chemistry.  Patentees need to clearly define the limits of various active ingredients, excipients and the like in order to […]

The UK’s Patent Box came into effect on 1 April 2013. Under the scheme UK companies are able to pay a reduced rate of Corporation Tax on certain profits derived from patented technology. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) published its first report¹ on the uptake of the scheme on 14 September 2016, and that report […]

In frustrating news for the biotech industry, we can report that the European Patent Office (EPO) has decided to suspend all examination and opposition proceedings for inventions concerning plants/animals that are obtained by means of essentially biological processes.  This follows a recent non-binding Notice from the European Commission (EC) regarding the interpretation of certain aspects […]

On 10 November 2016, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decided that the famous Rubik’s Cube could not be a registered trade mark. This marks the end of a ten year tussle over the registrability of one of the world’s best-selling toys of all time. The trade mark in question is Seven […]

The Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBoA) of the European Patent Office (EPO) has today indicated in case G1/15 that the so-called issue of “poisonous divisionals” has been put to rest.  The background context to this is that there had been concerns that it might be legally possible for a divisional patent application to be held […]

The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA), the organisation, which represents the interests of the trade mark and design profession will be changing its name with effect from Thursday 24 November. Going forward the organisation will be known as The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) following the grant of a Royal Charter back […]

In most jurisdictions a patent will not be granted until it has been examined and approved by the relevant patent office. This examination process is referred to as ‘patent prosecution’ and often entails multiple rounds of Examination Reports issued by the patent office and ‘responses’ filed on behalf of the patent applicant. Consequently, the patent […]

The contribution made by IP-led industries to the European economy has increased according to a second EU-wide study published by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The study has revealed that industries described as ‘IPR-intensive’ – those that file a high number of Community Trade Marks, Registered Design […]

When it comes to amending the scope of protection of your claims, the European Patent Office applies very strict requirements that any new scope of protection sought must have already been directly and unambiguously disclosed somewhere in the application as filed. There is one exception to this rule, undisclosed disclaimers.  They are ‘undisclosed’ because the […]

As of 1 July 2016, the European Patent Office (EPO) is aiming to increase the speed with which opposition proceedings are brought to a conclusion and thereby improve legal certainty for all parties concerned. The opposition procedure allows any person to centrally challenge the validity of a European patent within nine months of its grant […]

Earlier this month, the World Intellectual Property Office announced the addition of a new patent searching tool, which will allow users to locate International patent applications based on chemical structures.  Whilst perhaps not of interest to many, this facility has the potential to revolutionise the searching of chemical subject matter. Making it an exciting addition […]

The Patent Box scheme was introduced by the UK Government in April 2013 to allow UK companies to pay less Corporation Tax on profits generated from the sale of patented products and from the use of patented processes and machinery. Shortly after its introduction, the scheme faced criticism from foreign governments.  This led to a […]

What is changing? The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) is introducing a package of changes to the Patents Rules. The Patents Rules 2007, together with the Patents Act 1977, govern the patent system in the UK. The Rules set out the procedural and administrative requirements which apply to patents and patent applications. None of […]

The UK’s Patent Box regime came into force on 1 April 2013, through which companies are able to pay a reduced rate of UK Corporation Tax on profits derived from patented technology. More than three years after its introduction, HM Revenue & Customs have, for the first time, published a report on the uptake of […]