Intellectual Property Law

New Matter WINTER 2016, Volume 41, Number 4

International IP Developments

AURELIA J. SCHULTZ

IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER BUSY QUARTER AROUND the world with countries enacting new statutory law covering patents, trademarks, design and traditional knowledge. The Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual works creeps closer to coming into force, and two patent agreements welcomed new members. There are also some rule and procedural changes at the UK patent offices, fee changes in Argentina and an important case on copyright exceptions in India.

RULE, PROCEDURE AND FEE CHANGES AT PATENT OFFICES

The UK amended its Patent Rules (2007) this fall with most of the amendments already in effect and a few more coming in April 2017.1 Photographs are now accepted in the claims in addition to drawings.2 There are new constraints on filing new versions of applications that utilize the earlier version’s filing date ("divisional applications"): the new version must be filed more than three months before the original application’s compliance date and the original application must not be terminated or withdrawn.3 There is a new rule, 66A, which specifies when international applications may be amended.4 Applicants may amend their applications during the national phase of the application, until the first substantive examination report is sent.5

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