Singapore and China PPH Extension Keeps Up Accelerated and Dynamic Patent Procedure

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) have extended their joint effort for fast and efficient patent protection through the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program. The extension agreement was signed on September 17, 2017 and will be effective until August 31, 2019. Mr. Daren Tang, Chief Executive […]

Brunei’s Patent Examination System to Increase Efficiency Through Agreement with Japan

On August 28, 2017, the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) signed an agreement to introduce a new patent examination initiative – the Patent Prosecution Highway Plus (PPH+) – with the Japan Patent Office (JPO), which will commence on October 1, 2017. Using this PPH+ system, patent prosecution procedures in Brunei are accelerated by allowing BruIPO […]

Myanmar Presents New Trademark Bill

Myanmar has yet to produce its own specific legislation on trademarks. As a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the nation is expected to deliver its IP laws in the near future to provide protection for trademarks, copyright, patents, and other intellectual property. From August 8-10, 2017, […]

Accelerated Examination in Philippines Through PPH Partnership with EPO

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]