New TM Act in Myanmar enforced on 1st October 2020
Myanmar: new TM law mandates refiling of existing TM and filing of unregistered TM already in use in Myanmar With the objective of facilitating the transition from the “First to Use System” to the...
INDIAN PATENT (Amendment) Rules 2020
Indian Patents (Amendment) Rules 2020 notified on 4th November 2020, focusing on Form 27 and revision of Fee structure In an effort to ease the compliance burden, foster innovation, and facilitate...
Essential resource: FICPI’s spreadsheet of updates to IP Offices due to Covid-19
The Covid-19 crisis has deep impacts on the IP world – we have to handle this situation and FICPI supports you! We live in difficult times around the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has, along with the...
Bundestag adopted UPC Agreement 2017 in November 2020 but challenges continue
Interesting news for all IP practitioners The Bundestag has adopted the UPC Agreement 2017. This law was declared null and void by a decision of the Federal Constitutional Court because the law had...
Business development in the digital world
FICPI-Turkey’s final event of 2020, “Office management in the new era and business development in the digital world” took place on November 12, 2020. FICPI-Turkey Board Member Gökçe İzgi and...
Report on WIPO SCP 32nd Session, 7 to 10 December 2020
The 32nd Session of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents SCP/32 was held on 7 to 10 December 2020 as a hybrid meeting. Observers were only invited to attend remotely. Kim...
Highlights of the December 2020 EUIPO-FICPI Bilateral Meeting
Robert Watson reports on FICPI’s December 2020 meeting with the EUIPO On Thursday, 10 December 2020, FICPI President, Julian Crump, led a nine-strong team in a virtual meeting with the...
November 2020 SCT/43 meeting – progress still to be made in many subject areas
In the normal course of events, this Standing Committee meets twice a year in person in Geneva. Such meetings provide interaction between attending states through the use of formal public...
FICPI Report on PCT Working Group 13th session on October 5th-8th, 2020
The 13th session of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Working Group was unusual in terms of its format and agenda. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the session was firstly postponed and then...
China Trademark Association (CTA) Trademark Festival
FICPI was pleased to participate virtually in the China Trademark Association (CTA) Trademark Festival held this month. FICPI President, Julian Crump, recorded a video message in Chinese which was...
New video: “What is the best thing about ficpi?”
FICPI President Julian Crump concluded his inspiring opening to FICPI Virtual, our 19th Open Forum in November 2020 by sharing a new video which features FICPI members from around the world...
FICPI DELEGATION HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING WITH EPO BOARDS OF APPEAL VIRTUALLY
Although the lockdown in Europe was easing, FICPI met with the Boards of Appeal of the EPO virtually on 15 September 2020. On 15 September 2020, FICPI President Julian Crump along with a number of...
FICPI LAUNCHES WEBINAR LEARNING SERIES FOR ALL IP PRACTITIONERS
‘Connect, Share & Grow’ programme runs until April 2021 FICPI has announced its biggest ever initiative to deliver learning and insights to Intellectual Property professionals via a series of...
FICPI DELEGATION HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING WITH EPO LEADERSHIP VIRTUALLY
Although the lockdown in Europe was easing, FICPI met with the EPO virtually on 14 September 2020. On 14 September 2020, FICPI President Julian Crump along with a number of other FICPI...
NEW GUIDELINES FOR EXAMINATION BIOTECH IN BRAZIL ARE PENDING
New Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications within the Biotechnology field are to be published soon. In 2019 the Brazilian Patent Office (BPTO) published the new text of the Guidelines for...
FICPI Delegation Holds Annual Meeting with USPTO Virtually
During lockdown, FICPI representatives met a strong USPTO team for wide-ranging and invaluable discussions On May 19, 2020, FICPI President Julian Crump along with FICPI representatives across...
LAUNCHING FICPI’s IP practice management benchmarking survey
FICPI seeks your help as it builds global business intelligence FICPI’s Professional Excellence Committee (PEC) seeks to further the knowledge base within FICPI and amongst members by gathering more...
Join us at FICPI’s first Virtual Open Forum
Join us on 4-5 November for FICPI’s Virtual Open Forum This year FICPI’s much-loved Open Forum will have a different look and feel. Continued restrictions on travel mean that we have opted for an...
FICPI resources // new Small Business Kit for local use by members
FICPI has launched an important new resource for every member of our global community. The FICPI Small Business IP Kit is for use by members in their local markets to connect with one of our most...
Cambodia accedes to Berne Convention
The scope of works protected in Cambodia under copyright law is set to extend pursuant to Cambodia’s accession to the Berne Convention on 27th June 2020. This will bring the country’s...
FICPI South East Asian patent drafting course goes virtual!
Due to Covid-19, the FICPI Patent Drafting Course – South East Asian (SEAD) Edition 2019 which normally takes place in-person in the Philippines, moved online for the third segment, we explain how...
Amazon’s experimental “Utility Patent Neutral Evaluation Program”: the good, the bad and the ugly
Authors: Louis-Pierre Gravelle & Jules Gaudin[1] The past few weeks have been interesting, to say the least. Since mid-March, with some regions implementing measures well before then, or...
ASIPI webinar: “A New Legal Industry? The View from Leading In-House Counsel”
On 7th May 2020, the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) organised a webinar “A New Legal Industry? The View from Leading In-House Counsel”, reaching around 500...
Making the most of LinkedIn
In-person conferences are the traditional staple of IP attorney new business development and whilst social distancing is in place, LinkedIn is firmly cementing itself as the replacement, with video...
FICPI Turkish section under the spotlight
Uğur Aktekin explains how the FICPI Turkey National Section was created and why it’s grown so fast The initiative for the foundation of the FICPI Turkish section was started in 2012 by a handful of...
FICPI welcomes move to make EPO oral proceedings in opposition via video until September 2020
Robert Watson reports on the lobbying of EPO by FICPI, which may have contributed to the EPO announcing that all oral proceedings in Oppositions scheduled until 14 September 2020 which had not...
The FICPI Flyers
FICPI now has two new flyers available: "Ten Reasons to Join" -- for use specifically with independent IP attorneys eligible to join FICPI; and "The Facts" -- to...
How to respond to significant changes to the Taiwan Patent Act
With the growing high-tech industry, Taiwan is rising to become a global technology and innovation powerhouse, and many foreign corporations are showing interest in applying for IP rights...
How and why we should keep our respective IP Offices engaged and connected!
No matter how good you think your relationship is with your country’s IP Office, like a plant it must be nurtured and watered regularly. FICPI-India has historically participated - and quite...
Changes at the German Patent and Trademark Office
The German Patent and Trademark Office has announced that deadlines in all ongoing IPR proceedings granted by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office will be extended until 4 May 2020 or no decision...
Beware: EUIPO decisions scam
FICPI keeps a position in the Anti-Scam Network which comprises representatives from National IP Offices of the EU Member States, EFTA Countries, the European Patent Office (EPO), the World...
Remote working with the EPO
In view of the Covid-19 coronavirus emergency, the EPO has made some changes to its procedures. Oral proceedings before examining divisions are to be held by videoconference, while oral proceedings...
WIPO suspends all communication by postal mail
FICPI has recieved the following urgent message from WIPO: As noted in WIPO Update on COVID-19 press release on March 16, 2020, the International Bureau remains in full...
Important modifications in the system of resolving patent disputes in Poland
This year brings broad changes to the whole system of Polish intellectual property law (IPL). This article focuses on implications for parties to a potential patent dispute. New tools...
FICPI-Italy briefing on the new rules of procedure of the EPO Boards of Appeal
FICPI-Italy’s event offers the opportunity to gain the latest information on the important new rules as well as to cement business relationships and create new links The Collegio dei...
EUIPO meeting demonstrates commitment to IP protection in the digital age
FICPI continues its activity as a private sector stakeholder in the meetings that the Observatory of the EUIPO holds twice a year, together with Trade Associations, other NGOs, governmental...
Unified Patent Court (UPC) project suffers further delays
Germany’s decision causes new delays but not death of the UPC project. The German Constitutional Court (Bundersverfassungsgericht), in a decision (2 BvR 739/17) that has taken almost 3 years to...
EPO arrangements during the COVID-19 outbreak
The European Patent Office has published its latest guidance on disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. TERMS AT THE EPO The EPO has acknowledged the COVID-19 outbreak, by extending all periods...
Coronavirus: CNIPA’s special rules for time limit extension and rights restoration
Due to the outbreak of Coronavirus, many applicants and IP agencies' work, especially in China, has been affected which may cause the loss of IP rights by missing deadlines. In consideration...
Roundtable meeting on post-grant patent opposition before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office
The first detailed information was provided regarding the post-grant opposition system before the European Patent Office (“EPO”) FICPI-Turkey held the ninth of its traditional roundtable meetings at...
An overview of India’s draft Designs (Amendment) Rules, 2019
India’s accession to the Locarno Agreement in June 2019 (with the treaties effective since September 7, 2019) aims to harmonise the Indian classification system for industrial designs with the...
CRISPR gene editing technology patent revocation confirmed
The CRISPR ‘cut and paste’ gene editing technology is controversial yet looks to have real potential for breakthroughs in treatment of disease as well as fields as diverse as agriculture and...
6th Presidents’ Meeting
On 10-11 February 2020, FICPI President, Julian Crump, represented our Federation at the 6th Presidents’ Meeting, which was hosted by the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia...
EPO refuses patent application of AI inventor re. device for attracting enhanced attention
The EPO rejected two European patent applications on the grounds that the designated sole inventor, an AI system, did not fulfill the requirements of the EPC accepting only human persons as...
FICPI responds to USPTO request for comments on patenting Artificial Intelligence inventions
FICPI has responded to the USPTO’s request for comment on issues relating to patenting AI inventions, and is encouraged to see that USPTO has also sought comment on relevant policies or practices...
New electronic tools announced by the EPO
FICPI’s representative at the SACEPO e-Patent Process meeting in February reports on key developments. FICPI was invited by the European Patent Office to attend the 5th SACEPO EPP (e-Patent Process)...
March IGC meeting to focus on intellectual property and genetic resources
The Forty-First Session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) will meet from March 16 to March 20, 2020, at WIPO...
New trade mark law now in force in Serbia
On February 1, 2020, the new Trade Mark Law came into force in Serbia. The law further harmonises the Serbian trade mark legislation with that of the European Union, in particular the Harmonisation...
FICPI strengthens its relationships with Asian IP associations
In December’s FICPI News, I reported on our visits to the Indian, Singaporean, Chinese, Korean and Japanese IP Offices in November, as part of FICPI’s annual “Asian Tour”. The Offices were not our...
Achieving FICPI’s Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan sits at the heart of everything that we strive to achieve through FICPI. In June 2018 the Executive Committee adopted the third revision of our Strategic Plan, with the first...
FICPI delegation visits Brussels
Intellectual property matters are considered essential by the European Commission to promote innovation and creativity, develop employment and improve competitiveness. A FICPI delegation visited...
TM5 annual meeting continues to harmonise global trade mark policy
Naresh Kilaru reports on FICPI’s participation at the December TM5 meeting and the efforts of the world’s main trade mark Offices to harmonise global trade mark policy. On December 9-10...
FICPI SEAD in Manila
The first segment of the 2019-2020 FICPI South East Asian Patent Drafting Course (FICPI SEAD) took place in Metro Manila, Philippines from December 9th to 13th at the Rufino Campus, De La Salle...
ID5 meeting of world’s leading design offices progresses harmonisation efforts
FICPI’s attendance at the recent ID5 Annual Meeting made it clear that the five leading design Offices, the ID5 Partners, continue to make great efforts to harmonise global design practices across...
Malaysia: Federal Court breathes life back into Dependent Claims
In a landmark case, Merck Sharp & Dohme & Anor v Hovid Berhad, Malaysia’s Apex Court has reversed its prior 2015 ruling in SKB Shutters on the treatment of dependent patent claims. Patent...
How FICPI’s Study & Work Committee (CET) contributes to FICPI
The goals and objectives set out in FICPI’s strategic plan are often underpinned and driven forwards by work carried out in committees. FICPI’s Study & Work Committee (CET) is the largest of...
FICPI Briefing Note: Brexit and IP
FICPI's Briefing Note on the transitional arrangements for EU trade marks and designs in the UK. The UK will leave the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020. However, the position for IP will...
FICPI’s 2019 visit to major Asian IP Offices
Julian Crump reports on successful FICPI visits to the major Asian IP Offices in India, Singapore, China, Japan and Korea. FICPI’s annual visit to the major Asian IP Offices wrapped up on 29...
FICPI-India Symposium – Mumbai and New Delhi!
Swarup Kumar reports on this year’s FICPI-India roundtables and visits of the FICPI-International delegates to India. As is the tradition, FICPI-India Roundtables took place this year in Mumbai as...
What does a peacock have to do with IP?
The Committee agreed to begin examining compulsory licensing & prior use as regards patent rights, & quality of grant process. The 31st Session of the Standing Committee on the Law of...
Progress towards a FICPI National Section in Jordan
A recent FICPI delegation to Jordan results in plans for closer cooperation. Progress has been made towards closer cooperation and a potential FICPI National Section in Jordan following a recent...
FICPI-Turkey holds Intellectual Property Law Seminar in Izmir
The seminar compared European patent oppositions with Turkish oppositions, and looked at TM use and proof of use. FICPI-Turkey held a successful IP Law Seminar in October, at Yaşar University in...
From the President’s desk – December 2019
FICPI President, Julian Crump, reflects on key achievements from 2019 and looks forward to the year ahead. The end of the year is traditionally a time to take stock and make plans for the future. ...
FICPI-Turkey roundtable on the similarity of trade marks and its application
FICPI-Turkey’s seventh roundtable meeting in September focused on the concept of the similarity of trade marks & its application FICPI-Turkey arranged the seventh of its traditional roundtable...
New patent system for Hong Kong
This new system provides greater flexibility for Applicants Changes to the patent system in Hong Kong from 19th December 2019 see the introduction of an original grant patent system for standard...
New developments for IP practitioners under scrutiny at FICPI’s Singapore seminar
New Developments for IP Practitioners” was on the menu for 72 participants from over 20 countries who attended FICPI’s Singapore Seminar on November 22, 2019. Leading IP experts from a variety of...
EPO, G 1/18: To be, or not to be, inadmissible on appeal
EPO opinion on whether appelants will be reimbursed if their appeal is found to be “inadmissibe" rather than “nonexistent". In its opinion G 1/18 issued in July 2019, the Enlarged Board of Appeal,...
India’s Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme speeds ahead
India’s Patent Prosecution Highway is now in operation, allowing expedited examination of patent applications. A bilateral agreement between the Indian Patent Office and the Japan Patent Office is...
WIPO renews mandate for IGC on genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and folklore
The mandate was renewed at WIPO’s Fifty-First (24th Ordinary) Session from 30 September to 9 October 2019 The WIPO General Assembly has renewed the mandate for the Intergovernmental Commission on...
Progress slow on Country Names/Nation Branding in the November SCT Meeting
Move over country names: protection of Well-known Marks raised; plus possible new international treaty for Rep. of Korea. Country Names/Nation Branding have been an issue for some countries and...
Progress on ICANN dispute resolution procedures and WHOIS information
ICANN’s public meeting demonstrates desire for action Some progress on improvements to dispute resolution procedures and to meet lawyers' need for WHOIS information related to online infringers....
Trade issues influence IP landscape
Highlights from the WIPO Consultation with NGOs, November 2019. FICPI attended the consultation that WIPO Director General, Francis Gurry, led with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Geneva on...
From the President’s Desk
As the only organisation exclusively for independent IP attorneys, FICPI helps drive developments in IP practice management as well as clarification and formation of IP law worldwide. Members also...
New Patent Examination Guidelines for China
China National Intellectual Property Association (CNIPA) has published revisions to its Patent Examination Guidelines, the changes became effective on 1 November 2019. In this article, Michael Caine...
FICPI’s "Asian Tour"
An important part of FICPI's work is to build strong relationships with IP offices around the world. Independent IP attorneys represent the vast majority of applicants for patents, trade marks and...
FICPI Seminar on International Patent Practice in the US, May 2020 – the US Roadshow
As part of FICPI's Seminar Series, four afternoon seminars on the East Coast of the US in May 2020 are planned. FICPI will host a cocktail after each one to give attendees an opportunity to learn...
FICPI survey assesses IT readiness of FICPI member firms
IP firms small and large face challenges and opportunities created by ever-evolving technology. FICPI's latest survey assessed the state of play amongst firms and how FICPI initiatives can help...
Successful Vienna Forum, statistics show
Roberto Pistolesi analyses the data on attendees and guests at this year's Open Forum, examining why it was the most popular with delegates since 2016 and how it offers insights not available from...
FICPI’s Vienna Open Forum 2019: a flavour of the programme
Following another successful FICPI Forum, Ivan Ahlert reports on the results of the delegate satisfaction survey, most popular sessions, highlights of plenaries and IP Management and Trademark...
WIPO General Assembly Renews Mandate for Intergovernmental Commission
WIPO General Assembly renews mandate for IGC on Genetic Resources,Traditional Knowledge, and Traditional Cultural Expressions WIPO General Assembly renews mandate for IGC on Genetic...
FICPI Submission in G 1/19 before Enlarged Board of Appeal of EPO
Case G 1/19, being based on T 0489/14, broadly relates to computer-implemented simulations of systems and processes and the technicality of such simulations. T 0489/14 is an appeal against the...
FICPI @ WIPO Assemblies 2019
Michael Caine, Vice President of FICPI's Study & Work Commission (CET), represented FICPI on 3 October 2019 at the WIPO Assemblies 2019 meeting held in Geneva. At the meeting Michael made a...
FICPI @ B+
FICPI was invited to participate at the Group B+ Sub-group meeting and the Group B+ Plenary Session held in Geneva on 1st October 2019. The meeting was attended by Jérôme Collin and Kim Finnilä. The...
FICPI Attendance at ABA-IPL Fall Council Meeting and IP WEST 2019 Conference
As part of the Cooperating Agreement between FICPI and the American Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section (ABA-IPL), which was renewed last year for a second 3-year term, Julian Crump,...
Interpreting Services at the EPO
The EPO has no interpreters of its own but uses external services, which is costly and involves considerable organisation. As laid down in Rule 4(5) EPC, the cost of interpreters is borne by the...
Brazilian Bill Aims to Tackle Patent Backlog Through Cooperation Agreements
The Brazilian IP scenario is a vibrant one, as the country has one of the largest markets in the world. Protecting a patent in Brazil, however, will sometimes take longer than expected. One of the...
FICPI – WIPO Meeting, 11 September 2019
FICPI had the pleasure of having a full-day meeting with the WIPO leadership on 11 September 2019 covering a broad range of topics, from one-portal digitalization to arbitration. The WIPO is also...
FICPI Turkey – Roundtable Meeting on EP Opposition Procedures
FICPI - TURKEY arranged its sixth roundtable meeting on opposition proceedings of European Patents before the European Patent Office ("EPO"), the protection of the amended version of already...
Brazilian IP Office (INPI) adopts new procedures to reduce the patent examination backlog
INPI adopts new procedures to reduce the backlog, upon relying on search reports issued by other IP offices INPI has published Resolution 241/19 providing for a streamlined examination of pending...
FICPI @ ABPI International Congress 2019
FICPI Vice President, Ivan Ahlert, represented FICPI at the XXXIX International Congress on Intellectual Property of the Brazilian Association of Intellectual Property (ABPI) in Rio de Janeiro,...
Report of EUIPO User Group Meeting – Strategic Plan 2025
Attended by Elia Sugranes, Deputy Secretary General and Robert Watson, Vice-President CET. Other organisations represented: AIM, AIPPI, APRAM, ASIPI, BIM, Business Europe, CITMA, ECTA, MARQUES,...
CET5 Studies Patent Eligibility of 3D Printed Tissues and Organs
Over the last few years, CET Group 5 (Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals) has conducted an extensive study of the issues surrounding the eligibility for patenting of inventions relating to artificial...
An Update From The Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Working Group of FICPI
CET5 (or "Group 5"), the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical working group of FICPI, has active members in Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea,...
New Rules of Procedure of the EPO Boards of Appeal from 1 January 2020
As reported in the FICPI News of 22 January 2019, a revised version of the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) will enter into force on 1 January 2020. The...
South Africa – Anticipated Increase in Official Fees for Patents and Designs
Earlier in 2019, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) indicated that official fees for South African patents and designs were to be increased. In addition, a distinction was in...
The President’s Desk – July 2019
What is FICPI? Good question. You would have thought that as president I should be able to answer that one. If you would have asked me 6 months ago, I would have told you that "FICPI is a...
Indian Intellectual Property Appellate Board
The Delhi High Court taking cognizance of the colossal pendency of cases before the IPAB and its perennial non-functioning hold the view that the doctrine of necessity has to be invoked in this...
Indian Patent Office Publishes Draft Patent (Amendment) Rules
The Indian Patent Office (IPO) published Draft Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2019 on 1 June 2019 and asked for submission of comments and/or suggestions by stakeholders within one month of publication...
Report on the 30th Session of the SCP
The 30th Session of the Standing Committee on Patent Law (SCP) was held in Geneva on 24 to 27 June 2019. FICPI attended the meeting and made a statement on the "Confidentiality of communications...
FICPI Meets With USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board
FICPI President Julian Crump, CET President Coleen Morrison, Presidents of Honour Danny Huntington and Bastiaan Koster, FICPI US Vice President Robert Katz, CET3 Chair Jerome Collin and CET5 Chair...
