News

February 10, 2005

BECK & RÖSSIG announce the start of their working co-operation with BETTINGER SCHNEIDER SCHRAMM

BETTINGER SCHNEIDER SCHRAMM provides comprehensive legal services in IT-related IP-matters. The firm is particularly renowned for its expertise in copyright and domain name conflicts. In addition to trademark prosecution and litigation, BETTINGER SCHNEIDER SCHRAMM has remarkable experience in litigation of patents and utility models.

January 1, 2004

GPTO - Change of publication fees for national design registrations in Germany

The system of publication fees for design registrations has been simplified. As of January 1, 2004, there is only one fee for publication (b/w or in colour) per representation in the amount of 26 EUR per published design.

March 6, 2003

OHIM:  European Community Design Registrations are available as of  April 1, 2003

June 28, 2002

EPO: Claim translations are required earlier

Change of Rule 51 EPC as of July 1, 2002  (formalities in connection with the grant of the patent)

The new Rule 51 is valid for all applications for which a communication under the previous Rule 51 (4) has not been issued.

Under the new Rule 51 (4) the EPO informs the applicant of the text intended for grant. The applicant is invited to declare his approval of the text and to pay the fees for grant and printing and to file the translations of the claims. (The new Rule 51 (4) communication combines the two communications under the previous Rules 51 (4) and (6) making both acts a one-step-procedure)

March 6, 2002

Design protection throughout the European Union

a) Unregistered Community Designs - entry into force: March 6, 2002
- automatically effective for all new creations that are disclosed to the public as of March 6, 2002
- protection period: 3 years
- forbids use of copies of original designs

b) Registered Community Designs - available from the year 2003
- requires registration at the OHIM
- protection period: 5 years, maximum period 25 years
- forbids the putting on the market of any design which does not produce a different overall impression (i.e. without having to prove that a later creation is based on a copy of the owner´s design)
- deferrement of publication possible for up to and including 30 months

January 1, 2002

EPO - Claim drafting - Change of Rule 29 (2) EPC

(2) Without prejudice to Article 82, a European patent application may contain more than one independent claim in the same category (product, process, apparatus or use) only if the subject-matter of the application involves one of the following:

(a) a plurality of inter-related products;

(b) different uses of a product or apparatus;

(c) alternative solutions to a particular problem, where it is not appropriate to cover these alternatives by a single claim.

June 28, 2001

PCT-Applications: Change of Rule 107 EPC - Requirements for entry into the regional phase before the European Patent Office
Entry into force: January 2, 2002

Presently, an applicant must perform all requirements for entry into the regional phase before the EPO as designated office within 21 month from the earliest priority date, whereas this period is 31 month if the EPO acts elected office (chapter II). According to the new rule 107 EPC the 31 month time limit is applicable in both cases.