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11 July 2019PatentsRory O'Neill

Canada to fully accede to Patent Law Treaty

Canada has enacted new amendments to its patent law which will enable it to implement the Patent Law Treaty, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) made the announcement yesterday, July 10.

The Canadian government has published new Patent Rules and amendments to the Patent Act in Part II of the Canada Gazette, the government’s official newspaper. Publication in Part II of the Gazette indicates that new regulations have been enacted into law.

The rules alter the timelines for patent procedures, including time limits for paying fees and submitting documents.

According to CIPO, the new rules pave the way for Canada to fully implement the Patent Law Treaty, which was agreed in 2000.

CIPO said that the treaty harmonises patent administrative procedures between different national IP offices and delivers “key benefits for businesses”.

“We are especially proud today to have acceded to the last of five international IP treaties,” CIPO said.

The new rules follow Canada’s full accession to the Madrid Protocol, the Singapore Treaty and the Nice Agreement, all of which cover trademarks, last month.

Canada also enacted the Hague Agreement for industrial designs last November.

“Joining these treaties helps Canadian businesses looking to enter or expand their presence in international markets and supports Canada's IP strategy and its goal to help Canadian businesses, creators, entrepreneurs and innovators understand, protect and access IP,” CIPO said.

Johanne Bélisle, CEO at CIPO, said that the new laws were the “the final pieces to Canada's accession to five international intellectual property treaties over the course of the past year, in support of Canada's IP strategy”.

“This modernisation of our regime reinforces patents as vital tools to protect and incentivise innovation at home and abroad,” Bélisle added.

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