CIPO has announced it is continuing and expanding its procedure to refer final rejections of patent applications to a single member of the PAB in certain circumstances if the rejection only relates to patentable subject matter (with some exceptions), s27(4) and the Patent Rules. CIPO is working to “increase efficiencies and reduce turnaround times” at the PAB. The 2019-2020 Annual Report identified 71 appeals to the PAB and 41 decisions issued.
Tag Archives: Rule Changes
Patented Medicines
In what is becoming a holiday tradition, the coming into force of amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations has been again delayed by six months. The amendments were scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2022 having previously been scheduled for July 2021, January 2021, and July 2020 (see earlier post). The amendments generally relate to factors to be considered by the PMPRB for pricing patented medicines.
Federal Courts Rules
As mentioned last week, amendments to the Federal Courts Rules are being made, and were published in the Canada Gazette today for:
- miscellaneous changes including expansion to Rule 3 to focus on ‘outcome’ and proportionality rather than ‘determination’, explicit powers to limit examinations (rule 87.1) and a rule specifically for motions in writing at the Federal Court of Appeal (rule 369.2), among other things.
- enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.
- limited-scope representation.
Federal Courts Rules
Amendments to the Federal Courts Rules coming into force in January, have been registered. The amendments include expansion to Rule 3 to focus on ‘outcome’ and proportionality rather than ‘determination’, explicit powers to limit examinations (rule 87.1) and a rule specifically for motions in writing at the Federal Court of Appeal (rule 369.2), among other things.
Holiday
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th has been incorporated into the Federal Courts Rules definition of “holiday”. The Federal Court issued a notice reminding litigants to take this holiday into account when computing deadlines and that hearings are being rescheduled.
Gazette Amendments
Several IP related amendments have been published in the Canada Gazette:
- College-related for the coming into force of the College on June 28th (see earlier post):
- By-laws of the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (Board),
- By-laws of the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (College),
- Code of Professional Conduct for Patent Agents and Trademark Agents Regulations,
- Order Fixing the Number of Directors Under the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents Act
- Amendments to the Federal Courts Rules that came into force on June 17th (see earlier post):
- Rules Amending the Federal Courts Rules – relating to jurisdiction of Prothonotaries, books of authorities, timelines for defences among other things
- Rules Amending the Federal Courts Rules – relating to various miscellaneous updates
- PMPRB-related (see earlier post on delaying Patented Medicines Reporting Requirements that were to come into force on July 1st): Regulations amending the Regulations Amending the Patented Medicines Regulations (Additional Factors and Information Reporting Requirements)
Patent Rules
Proposed amendments to the Patent Rules are published for consultation in the Canada Gazette to address patent term adjustment and other changes to streamline prosecution. The proposed amendments include excess claim fees, limits on office actions and requests for continued examination, updating rules on sequence listings and some miscellaneous amendments.
PMPRB
There are reports that the government has again delayed the coming-into-force of the substantive changes to the Patented Medicines Prices Review Board guildelines by six-months. The updates had been scheduled to come into force on July 1st. Continue reading PMPRB
Federal Courts Rules
Amendments to the Federal Courts Rules have been registered based on proposed amendments published back in 2016. These amendments include (1) increases to the monetary limit for prothonotaries and for simplified actions; (2) provide for excerpts in books of authorities; (3) a timeline for filing of books of authorities in appeals; (4) condensed appeal books; (5) establishing a “Notice of Intention to Respond” and standardize the timeline for filing a defence for defendants who are served in either Canada or the United States; and (6) clarifying the material to be contained in an applicant’s record.
PMPRB
The various amendments relating to the Patented Medicines Prices Review Board mentioned in my update earlier this week have now been published in the Canada Gazette Part 2.