More TM Fee Cuttings in Europe To Come

nospam@example.com (Axel H Horns) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:22:31 +0100

Logo of UK-IPO

A few days ago I had reported on a significant reduction of OHIM Official fees. Today, UK-IPO has issued a Press Release:

"The Intellectual Property Office today (9 March 2009) announced a review of its trademark fees and services with a public consultation.
A range of options, including a reduced fee package and new support services, aims to help businesses register marks more easily and affordably in the UK, potentially saving them over £700,000 per annum.
The review has been prompted by a decrease in demand for patent and trademark applications in the UK, (down 12% in 2008) with other trade mark offices, including the European trade mark office, also seeing reductions.
A fee reduction for applications to the European trade mark office has this week been agreed by the EU Member States, a move long supported by the UK. The proposals contained in the Intellectual Property Office consultation document will help maintain the UK as a competitive option for businesses looking to protect their intellectual property."

See also an article on FT.com. According to the newspaper, some EU countries had been concerned that the OHIM’s move, which was prompted by unexpected popularity of the community trademark and subsequent financial surpluses at the office, might undercut business at their national offices. As a result, the OHIM’s fee reduction had been held up by wrangling.

Open Source, Open Standards and Re–Use: UK Government Action Plan

nospam@example.com (Axel H Horns) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Mr Tom Watson on a Segway

From the website of the UK Government:

Open Source has been one of the most significant cultural developments in IT and beyond over the last two decades: it has shown that individuals, working together over the Internet, can create products that rival and sometimes beat those of giant corporations; it has shown how giant corporations themselves, and Governments, can become more innovative, more agile and more cost-effective by building on the fruits of community work; and from its IT base the Open Source movement has given leadership to new thinking about intellectual property rights and the availability of information for re–use by others.
[...]
Over the past five years many government departments have shown that Open Source can be best for the taxpayer – in our web services, in the NHS and in other vital public services.

Continue reading "Open Source, Open Standards and Re–Use: UK Government Action Plan"

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More TM Fee Cuttings in Europe To Come

Open Source, Open Standards and Re–Use: UK Government Action Plan