Recently, affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the UAE Ministry of Economy announced that it will further reduce some official fees related to trademark affairs. In fact, in July 2019, the UAE has already slashed some trademark official fees, for example by reducing the cost of registering a trademark in the country from 10,000 Dirham (about USD2,723) to 6,700 Dirham (about USD1,825). The reduction of the official f

In response to the increasingly severe global epidemic situation, the following countries and regions have taken corresponding emergency measures to ensure the normal operation of IP work. EUIPO All time limits expiring between 9 March 2020 and 30 April 2020, that affect all parties before the Office, extended to 1 May 2020. This includes statutory deadlines such as the deadline to oppose a third party trad

The European Patent Office has released theDecision of the Administrative Council of 12 December 2019 amending Articles 2 and 7 of the Rules relating to FeesandDecision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 29 January 2020 revising the Office's fees and expenses(hereinafter referred to as “the Decisions”) in its January 2020 Official Journal, the new schedule of fees shall enter into fo

Notice on Time Limits for Handling Affairs Regarding Patents, Trademarks and Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits under the Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic (Notice No. 350) For the purpose of implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on preventing and containing the COVID-19 epidemic, and effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of parties a

The State Administration for Market Regulation recently published the Anti-Monopoly Law amendment draft to solicit public opinion. That means the law that has been in force for 11 years will be amended. Many local governments in China, obsessed with such economic indexes as "growth rate", "economic scale" and "profit", have focused more on some industrial policies to ensure economic g

The Patents Registry of the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) has started accepting and examining filings under the new patent system launched today (December 19). The new patent system essentially comprises an original grant patent (OGP) system which creates a direct route for seeking standard patent protection in Hong Kong with a maximum term of 20 years, as an alternative to the existing "re-registrat