BLOG@IP::JUR

Patent Attorney Axel H Horns' Blog on Intellectual Property Law.

Disclaimer & About This Website

Visit the archives

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Changes to UK Patent Law.

The

UK-PTO has published an

interesting set of slides explaining

changes to UK Patent Law as of September 22, 2004, Januar 01, 2005, and also later on. According to the UK-PTO, The Patents Act 2004 makes significant changes to the UK's main statute on patents – the Patents Act 1977. The 2004 Act received Royal Assent on 22 July 2004, although none of its provisions came into force on that date. Instead, the provisions are brought into force by commencement orders, of which there have now been two. Commencement Order No. 1 brought some minor provisions into force on 22 September 2004. Commencement Order No. 2 brings some of the major provisions of the 2004 Act into force on 1 January 2005.

In particular, on Januar 01, 2005, amendments will enter into force with regard to

Restrictions on filing abroad
Employee compensation
Costs and expenses in infringement proceedings Threats
Entitlement proceedings remedies
Enforcement of damages
PCT-related provisions
Some minor provisions in Schedule 2

For mid/late 2005 amendments are expected to enter into force concerning:

Patent Office opinions
Renewal fee payment periods
Security for costs
Co-ownership
Inventor confidentiality
Some minor provisions in Schedule 2

It is suggested that in 2007 further amendments will enter into force:

EPC 2000 provisions, including:

Methods of treatment or diagnosis
Limitation and post-grant amendment
Prior art effect of EP(UK) applications
Automatic designation of states
Minor changes in Schedule 1

[Permalink]