9 May 2013Copyright

IP bill announced in Queen’s Speech

The Queen gave her yearly speech to parliament on May 8, where she announced a bill hoped to modernise the UK’s IP system.

“My government’s legislative programme will continue to focus on building a stronger economy so that the United Kingdom can compete and succeed in the world,” the Queen said on Tuesday.

“A bill will be introduced to reduce the burden of excessive regulation on businesses. A further bill will make it easier for businesses to protect their intellectual property,” she added.

The bill will implement reforms on the IP framework for design in response to proposals made in the 2011 Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth, and “support business in driving economic growth, innovation and encouraging enterprise.”

The bill is hoped to simplify design protection for the design sector, ensure the UK Intellectual Property Office is operating efficiently and make the IP system more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

There is also a proposal to allow the UK to share information on unpublished patent applications, which is expected to help clear existing application backlogs and speed up clearance times, and make work between the UK and other patent offices more efficient.

The implementation of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in the UK is another key element of the bill.

“Despite the Tory party’s recent issues with the EU, David Cameron remains committed to a major EU project to enhance competitiveness,” said Penny Gilbert, partner at Powell Gilbert in London.

“This project is in line with the government’s stated aims to support and grow the knowledge-based economy and particularly the promotion of innovation, including in the SME sector.”

She added that the UPC offers great potential, but there are still many details to be resolved.

“The great concern is whether the court can work efficiently, and deliver high quality justice, at a cost that doesn't deter litigants, especially SMEs,” she said.

Tim Powell, another partner at Powell Gilbert in London, said that hosting part of the UPC in London might benefit the UK economy by bringing in about £200 million a year.

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