MEWBURN ELLIS LLP
MEWBURN ELLIS LLP is one of the UK's largest firms of Chartered Patent Attorneys, European Patent Attorneys, European Trade Mark Attorneys and European Design Attorneys. We serve clients from the UK and all around the world, covering the full range of intellectual property issues: Patents, Trade Marks, Designs, Industrial Copyright and related matters.
MEWBURN ELLIS LLP is one of the UK's largest firms of Chartered Patent Attorneys, European Patent Attorneys, European Trade Mark Attorneys and European Design Attorneys. We serve clients from the UK and all around the world, covering the full range of intellectual property issues: Patents, Trade Marks, Designs, Industrial Copyright and related matters.
Community Trade Mark (CTM) Fee Reduction
The Community Trade Marks Office (OHIM) has announced its plans to reduce the overall cost of obtaining a CTM registration by around 40%, which is great news for SMEs in particular! This will provide improved value for applicants in this difficult economic climate, and simplify what has become an overcomplicated system. The new package has recently been approved and will be effective from 1st May 2009.
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New restrictions at the EPO
The EPO has recently announced a number of new rules. As well as major restrictions on the filing of divisional applications (as explained in more detail here), the new rules place formal restrictions on the number of independent claims which will be searched. They also make it compulsory to address objections raised during an EPO search at an earlier stage, and reduce the opportunities for voluntary amendments (click here for more details). These new rules are due to enter into force on 1 April 2010 and will affect both direct European and Euro-PCT applications.
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