In recent years, the European Patent Office (EPO) has partnered with several domestic patent offices in Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programmes, with the aim of speeding up examination processes for corresponding applications filed in participating intellectual property offices. Recently, the EPO has launched new a PPH pilot programme with the patent office of the Philippines […]
New Online System for Cambodia Trademark Registration
On 25 May 2017, the Ministry of Commerce in Cambodia launched an online trademark registration system for local and international businesses and individuals to protect their marks against infringement. Applicants in Cambodia may now upload the required documents and information for trademark registration online, as well as search the Cambodia Department of Intellectual Property database […]
Thailand Patent Registry Set to Enforce Modified Examination Regime for Greater Efficiency
Throughout 2017 so far, the government in Thailand has been signalling its intention to revamp the country’s patent system to provide a more efficient standard of service to applicants and inventors. In February, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O Cha pledged to urgently deal with a problem: around 20,000 domestic and international patent applications made to the […]
Revised Trademark Rules in India
The Government of India announced broad changes to the Trademark Rules on 6 March 2017. The changes came into effect immediately. The relevant changes to the Rules are: 1. Increase in Official Fees 2. Registration of Well-Known Marks A trademark owner can now seek to have his mark to be declared “well-known” in India […]
Cambodia Becomes First Asian EPO Validation State
On January 23rd 2017 in Phnom Penh, an agreement was signed between Cambodian Senior Minister for Industry Cham Prasidh and Benoit Batistelli, President of the European Patent Office, stipulating that patents registered with the European Patent Office (EPO) will be valid in Cambodia, with a date of 1st July 2017 set as the projected entry […]
Singapore : Trademark Citations based on Withdrawn, Cancelled or Abandoned Applications
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently changed its practice with respect to marks which are “treated as withdrawn” or “abandoned”. Earlier, the Registry practice included citing marks which were reflected on the Register as “Treated as Withdrawn”. Therefore, deemed withdrawn applications were also cited against other pending marks. With respect to abandoned […]
Singapore IP Policy Cases: IPOS Strengthens the Criteria on Assessment of Post-grant Amendments
In Singapore, post-grant amendments are allowed at the discretion of the court or the Registrar. The amendments are assessed under Section 84(3) of the Patents Act. The court or the Registrar may allow the amendments to the specification of the patent if: (a) The amendment does not result in disclosing additional matter; or (b) The […]
Mandatory Recordal of IP License Agreements in Indonesia
The Ministry of Law and Human Rights (MoLHR) of Indonesia recently issued regulations outlining the procedure for recordal of IP license agreements in Indonesia. It should be noted that while the regulations were recently issued, the law requiring recordal of license agreements has been in place since 2000 (industrial designs), 2001 (trademarks and patents) and […]
India IP Policy, Patent Legislation: Amends Patent Rules to Expedite Grant
The Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2016 were implemented by the Indian Patent Office on 16 May 2016. The salient features of the said rules are as follows: Reduction of time to file response to First Examination Report (FER) The time allowed to respond to a FER for putting an application in order for grant has been […]
Laos IP Policy, Trademark Legislation: DIP Begins Accepting Multi-Class Applications
The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of Laos began accepting multi-class applications as of February 1, 2016. On December 20, 2011, the DIP announced that Article 33 of the Intellectual Property Law of Laos would be revised to allow the filing of more than […]