UKIPO proposes slashing design fees

The UK government has launched a consultation on its plans to reduce application and renewal fees for designs.

According to proposals outlined by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO), application fees would be reduced based on the number of applications filed and renewal fees would be increasingly cut compared to the current price at the end of each new five-year term.

For example, an application containing only one design would be reduced from £60 ($87) to £50, but applications containing ten designs would be slashed from £420 to £70.

Those looking to renew their designs would pay £70 after year five compared to the current figure of £130 (a 46% reduction). However, after ten years it would be reduced from £210 to £90 (a reduction of 57%).

The full figures included in the consultation, launched yesterday, January 7, are available on the IPO’s website.

According to the Marques blog, which posted a link to the consultation, many designs are not renewed after the initial five-year term.

“It remains to be seen whether this reduction will alter that behaviour,” it added.

However, the reduction in filing fees may benefit those wanting to protect individual parts of a product as well as the whole thing, Marques added.

In a statement, the IPO said it is developing a new digital service for design customers in order to streamline the registration and renewal service, leading to a reduction in costs.

The proposed fees would only apply to applications made online.

The deadline for responding to the consultation is January 29.