UKIPO introduces ‘interrupted days’ to tackle COVID-19 disruption
The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has introduced ‘interrupted days’ as it seeks to support rights owners, businesses and IP professionals amid the “unprecedented disruption” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The office has declared March 24, and subsequent days until further notice, ‘interrupted days’, meaning that any deadlines for patents, supplementary protection certificates, trademarks, designs, and applications for these rights, will be extended until the end of the period.
Tim Moss, CEO of the IPO said: “We recognise the challenges that rights holders and businesses are facing during these testing times, so we have taken practical steps to build some flexibility into our service processes. In this way, we can honour our commitment to supporting our customers while keeping the safety of our people uppermost in our minds.”
To help rights owners plan ahead, the office will provide a minimum of two weeks’ notice before ending the interrupted days period.
The situation will be reviewed in three weeks’ time (April 17, 2020) and the IPO will either continue with the period of interruption or announce that the period will end after a further two weeks.
Other alterations
While no hearings in person will be held, the office is operating hearings via telephone, Skype or other virtual methods.
It added that no further physical hearings will be booked or take place until June 1, 2020 and this date will be kept under review.
On tribunals, the office said that, where it has the discretion to do so, any new deadlines set will be doubled, such as periods for filing evidence or submissions.
“Extensions of time to appeal trademark decisions are possible. We can consider appeals to the appointed person and appeals to the court must be made directly to the court,” added the office.
In addition to closing its offices in London and Newport, Wales, the IPO is unable to process paper forms, faxes and paper correspondence.
The IPO’s updates are available here.
Late last week, WIPR reported that trademark filings at some of the world’s biggest IP offices, including the IPO, have begun to fall. Between March 4 and 10, the IPO recorded 2,053 trademark filings. Last week, between March 18 and 24, it recorded 1,266 filings.
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