Article 72 of the European Patent Convention states that an assignment of a European patent application shall be made in writing and shall require the signature of the parties to the contract. Such assignments can be recorded centrally at the EPO for pending...
Changes effective 1 October 2016 Notification of intention to grant The UKIPO is to issue advance notification of grant in order to allow patent applicants the opportunity to file a divisional application without the need to recourse to the current practice of...
Introduction In decisions G 2/12 (“Broccoli II”) and G 2/13 (“Tomatoes II”), the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) of the European Patent Office (EPO) found that plants and products thereof, e.g. seeds and fruits, are patentable. This is the case...
Arrow Declarations The term “Arrow Declaration” refers to a declaration that the subject-matter of an invention is not patentable. The term stems from the case Arrow v Merck [2007] EWHC 1900 (Pat) where such a declaration was first issued. Unlike...
Introduction There are two key points of practice discussed in the T 1691/15 Decision:- The default position of the Directorate Quality Support (DQS), a department within the EPO, to keep complaints confidential and on the non-public part of the file; and The...
The Courts of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) have now issued Decision C-494/15 (Tommy Hilfiger Licensing vs Delta Center) following a referral from the Czech Supreme Court. The decision arises from legal action by trade mark holders to force the company that...
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