The new Patent Rules, coming into force on October 30, 2019, have been published in the Canada Gazette Part II. The modernization of the Patent Act and Rules allows Canada to ratify the Patent Law Treaty. Key changes relate to filing requirements, priority claims, agent representation and register, examination and amendments, corrections, abandonments/reinstatements, transfers, due care/third party rights, and divisionals. Continue reading Patent Amendments
Tag Archives: Rule Changes
Patent Amendments
The amendments to the Patent Act and Patent Rules will come into force October 30, 2019. Orders in Council will be published in July with the amended Patent Rules and authorization to ratify the Patent Law Treaty.
Trademark Changes
On Monday, June 17, 2019, significant changes to the Trademarks Act will come into force. These long awaited changes including changes to implement the Madrid Protocol, the Singapore Treaty and the Nice Agreement. Many of CIPO’s online trademark services are offline until Monday morning in preparation for the changes. Continue reading Trademark Changes
NAFTA 2.0
Bill C-100 was introduced today for first reading, An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States. The Bill includes amendments to the Copyright Act and Trademarks Act. Continue reading NAFTA 2.0
Trademark Regulations
Further amendments to the Trademarks Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette Part 2 this week. These amendments relate to changes to the Trademarks Act that received royal asset in December 2018 directed to simplifying the opposition practice with divisional applications as part of the changes coming into force on June 17th.
Patent Consultation
CIPO has announced a consultation on changes to the Manual of Patent Office Practice (MOPOP) relating to administrative topics as part of changes to the Patent Act and Rules. Topics covered including filing requirements, divisionals, priority, transfers/assignments, corrections, abandonment/reinstatement, and due care. The consultation is open until May 27, 2019.
Trademarks
On March 17, Canada formally acceded to the Madrid, Singapore and Nice treaties relating to trademarks. Substantial amendments to the Trademarks Act and Regulations come into force June 17, 2019. Continue reading Trademarks
ISED News
Last week, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada made a couple of announcements as part of the government’s IP Strategy:
- Call to launch intellectual property collective – There is $30 million in funding over four years to create a non-profit organization to work with companies in a selected sector to help them use their IP more strategically.
- College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents – The government is seeking candidates for the first board of directors for the new regulator of patent agents and trademark agents.
Budget Bill
Bill C-86, the budget bill that implements changes to the Patent Act, the Trade-marks Act and the Copyright Act, enacts the College of Patent Agents and Trade-mark Agents Act and makes changes for IP licenses in insolvency received royal assent yesterday. Bill C-86 received minor amendments as it went through parliament.
USMCA
My latest column for Slaw has been published, on the IP changes included in the US Mexico Canada trade agreement. The agreement is supposed to be signed Friday but reports are that the countries are still in discussions. Continue reading USMCA