Monthly Archive for October, 2009

UKIPO to Adopt OHIM’s “Case Handling Software”

October 19, 2009

The UK Intellectual Property Office has signed an agreement to license OHIMs new case handling software system, EuroMarc, which went into operation earlier this year.

EuroMarc was developed at a cost of around 5m to manage the examination, opposition and registration of Community trade marks. OHIM has granted the UKIPO a royalty free licence for the software, and a range of other support modules, under an agreement whose terms are designed to promote international cooperation and harmonization of trade mark practices.

The UKIPO will be able to further develop the software and the results will be shared with OHIM, and ultimately other IP offices, as part of an international collaboration effort. The Chief Executive of the UKIPO, Ian Fletcher, said the project was a great example of OHIM and a National Office working together on a harmonization project that will ultimately benefit business users”.

UK & South Korea to Fast Stream Patent

October 19, 2009

The UK and South Korean patent offices have announced the creation of a Patent Prosecution Highway to speed up the processing of patents between the two countries.

The PPH will allow one IP office to request a faster examination of a patent already filed in another office.

The pilot scheme with the Korean Intellectual Property Office follows earlier PPH agreements with the Japan Patent Office and the US Patent and Trademark Office.

A spokesman for KIPO said: “Implementation of the PPH will further strengthen the cooperative relations between KIPO and the UKIPO in intellectual property rights. The PPH will also help applicant in both Korea and UK acquire patents of high quality in an expedited and convenient manner.