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Good news for anyone who doesn't want to translate a European patent

By Johanna Gibson, David Pearce, Jeremy Phillips and Ilanah Simon.

The IPKat has received the following good news from Andy Cloughley (MSK Patents):

"You may recall that Germany slipped up in its implementation of the London Agreement, to the extent that it was accidentally due to come into force only on 1 September 2008.

Right: London celebrates in traditional style

We have recently been informed that the new law correctly implementing the London Agreement has now been officially published in the Bundesgesetzblatt and that it has entered into force with retroactive effect, as of 1 May 2008. This makes it definite that no translations need to be filed for any European patent for which the mention of grant was published on or after 1 May 2008.".

"Of course, this was widely expected", Andy adds, "but it's nice to know for certain". The IPKat knew it all along, of course. He couldn't tell anyone, though, because then they'd know how quickly he'd mastered German.

Retrospective legislation here
Earlier IPKat post and vast follow-up correspondence on 1 May and the London Agreement here

Full post as published by IPKat on July 23, 2008 (boomark / email).