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London Agreement latest news

By Jeremy

The IPKat has learned from Kerry Tomlinson (Frank B. Dehn) that Germany has slightly slipped up in its implementation of the London Agreement: the long-awaited and not uncontroversial deal to dispense with much of the burden of patent translations comes into force four months after the Agreement does. The German Justice Ministry is working to patch this up so that it operates from 1 May 2008. Meanwhile, with the world's eyes glued on France (no, this is nothing to do with President Sarkozy's personal life: see IPKat posts here , here and here), Denmark has quietly deposited its own instrument of ratification. Kerry adds:

"The situation now will be that translations of the claims into the local language will be needed in Croatia, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovenia, and Sweden (when it deposits), while no translations are needed in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland/Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom.

In about half of these countries the Agreement has made no change to the situation as it pertained before. This applies to EP applications filed in English, the situation is slightly different if filed in French or German in that a translation of the description into English may be required.

Interestingly in the UK, patents granted at least back to 1 December 2007 will be covered as a two months extension of time is available (which requires a fee, but can be requested in the extension period)".

London here and here
After London here

Full post as published by IPKat on February 15, 2008 (boomark / email).