IP News

Norway joined the European Patent Convention on 1^st January 2008, and it is therefore now possible to obtain a patent in Norway through a European patent application.

However, it is not possible to designate Norway retroactively in European patent applications filed before 1^st January 2008 and Norway cannot be covered by any European patent applications originating from International Applications (PCT) with a filing date prior to 1^st January 2008.

Under a recent decision by the European Patent Organisation, from 1^st April 2008, a supplementary European search report will no longer be drawn up for PCT applications for which an international search report has been drawn up by the European Patent Office.

The London Agreement (“the Agreement”), concluded in London on 17^th October 2000, liberalizes the translation requirements for European patents following grant. Once a European patent is granted, it is up to the patent proprietor to determine the geographic scope of protection required. During the so-called “validation phase”, the patent proprietor can validate their patent in one, several or all of the member states to the EPC. This requires the patent proprietor to...

On 13^th December 2007, the European Patent Convention 2000 (EPC2000) will come into effect.  EPC2000 is a revision of the European Patent Convention of 1973 (EPC1973), and the revised text integrates new developments in international law, a World Trade Organisation treaty (setting minimum standards for many forms of intellectual property regulation), and the Patent Law Treaty (which seeks to harmonize formal procedures, including the requirements to obtain a filing date for a patent...

The UK Patent Office has changed its name to the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO), and has a new logo and web site address: www.ipo.gov.uk.

Ron Marchant, Chief Executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office, welcomed the change of name, saying;

"I believe that the new name 'UK Intellectual Property Office' (UK-IPO) truly reflects the wide range of intellectual property services offered and dispels confusion and uncertainty for our customers."

The change of...