Changes To Canadian Patent Regulations Come Into Force

by Glen Shapiro, LawAndTax-News.com, New York

05 June 2007

Amendments to Canada's Patent Rules, the Trade-marks Regulations (1996), the Industrial Design Regulations, the Integrated Circuit Topography Regulations, and the Copyright Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette in mid-May, partially came into force last week.

The amended regulations were put in place on Saturday June 2, with the exception of sections 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 of the Regulations amending the Trade-marks Regulations (1996), which will come into force on October 1, 2007.

According to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), the amendments will encourage small entities (i.e. entities employing 50 or fewer employees or a university) to use the patent system, while providing a relief mechanism for those who mistakenly pay fees at the small entity level.

Additional amendments to the Patent Rules, the Trade-marks Regulations (1996), the Industrial Design Regulations, the Integrated Circuit Topography Regulations, and the Copyright Regulations were made to improve the intellectual property regime by simplifying procedures, and reducing processing times and costs.

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