Neufassung der Nizzaer Klassifikation für Waren und Dienstleistungen für die Eintragung von Marken ab 1.1.2012 in Kraft

Ab 1.1.2012 tritt die 10.Auflage der Nizzaer Klassifikation für Waren und Dienstleistungen für die Eintragung von Marken in Kraft.

Hierdurch ergeben sich einige Änderungen insbesondere bei einzelnen Waren und Dienstleistungen, die in andere Klassen verschoben wurden. Zu beachten sind diese Änderungen bei Markenanmeldungen, die Waren- und Dienstleistungsverzeichnisse von früheren Marken übernehmen. Wird beispielsweise für eine neue Markenanmeldung das Verzeichnis einer älteren Marke mit Waren der Klasse 9 übernommen, ist darauf zu achten, dass nun einige der früher unter Klasse 9 fallenden Waren wie Verkaufsautomaten oder Schweiß- und Lötgeräte aufgrund der neuen Nizzaer Klassifikation nun in Klasse 7 einzugruppieren sind. Dadurch können neue Klassengebühren entstehen.

Die neue Nizzaer Klassifikation führt auch neue Waren und Dienstleistungen ein, wie beispielsweise Windturbinen in Klasse 7 und Leuchtdioden in Klasse 9.

Eine vom Deutschen Patent- und Markenamt erstellte Übersicht über die Änderungen kann unter dem folgenden Link abgerufen werden: http://www.dpma.de/docs/service/klassifikationen/nizza/ncl10uebersicht.pdf

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New fees of the European Patent Office valid from April 1, 2012

The European Patent Office (EPO) has decided about changes of the amounts of official fees. The new fee schedule will be valid from April 1, 2012, and the official fees of the EPO will then amount as follows (in Euros):

Filing fee (electronic filing) 115

Filing fee (paper filing) 200

Additional fee for each page of an application in excess of 35 pages 14

Search fee (application filed on or after July 1, 2005) 1165

Search fee (application filed before July 1, 2005) 840

(Supplementary) international search fee 1875

Designation fee for one or more Contracting states 555

Renewal fee for 3rd year 445

Renewal fee for 4th year 555

Renewal fee for 5th year 775

Renewal fee for 6th year 995

Renewal fee for 7th year 1105

Renewal fee for 8th year 1215

Renewal fee for 9th year 1325

Renewal fee for 10th and each further year 1495

Surcharge for late payment of renewal fee 50% of the belated renewal fee

Examination fee (application filed before July 1, 2005) 1730

Examination fee (application filed on or after July 1, 2005) 1555

Examination fee (international application filed on or after July 1, 2005, where no supplementary European search report is drawn up) 1730

Examination fee (preliminary examination for an internation application) 1850

Grant fee 875

Opposition fee 745

Claims fee for the 16th to the 50th claim (for each claim) 225

Claims fee for the 51th and each subsequent claim 555

Appeal fee 1240

The actual schedule of fees of the European Patent Office can be found here: http://www.epoline.org/portal/portal/default/epoline.Scheduleoffees

New equivalent amounts in Euros of the fees for international PCT applications effective from January 1, 2012

Due to current development of the exchange rates between the Euro and the Swiss Franc, the Word Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or International Bureau (IB) changed the equivalent amounts in the currency Euro of the fees for international patent applications according to the PCT. From January 1, 2012, the following fees are effective in Euros:

International filing fee (applicable on the date of receipt of a PCT application): 1094

Fee per sheet in excess of 30 sheets: 12

Handling fee (applicable if an international preliminary examination is requested and on the date of payment): 165

Reduction for electronic filing

– with the request being in character coded format: 165

– with the request, description, claims and abstract being in character coded format: 247

London Agreement enters into force on February 1, 2012, for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia [Update]

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia acceeded to the London Agreement. The London Agreement will enter into force on February 1, 2012, for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Therefore, a European patent can be easier validated for the fomer Republic of Macedonia if Macedonia is designated in the patent and the patent is granted with effect on or after February 1, 2012. Further requirements, which have to be fullfilled, will be published in the future.

Update (Dec 21, 2011): no translation of the specification is required, regardless of the language of the proceedings. However, a translation of the claims into Macedonian has to be filed with the State Office of Industrial Property of the Republic of Macedonia.

New equivalent amounts in Euros of the fees for international PCT applications effective from November 1, 2011

The Word Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or International Bureau (IB) changed the equivalent amounts in the currency Euro of the fees for international patent applications according to the PCT. From November 1, 2011,the following fees are effective in Euros:

International filing fee (applicable on the date of receipt of a PCT application): 1174

Fee per sheet in excess of 30 sheets: 13

Handling fee (applicable if an international preliminary examination is requested and on the date of payment): 177

Reduction for electronic filing

– with the request being in character coded format: 177

– with the request, description, claims and abstract being in character coded format: 265

If a PCT application is filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) or the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO), the transmittal fee of Euro 115 (EPO) or  Euro 90 (GPTO) has to be paid in addition to the above changed fees.

Furthermore, the international search fee of Euro 1785 must be added.

London Agreement enters into force on November 1, 2011, for Finland

Finland acceeded to the London Agreement in July 2011. The London Agreement will enter into force on November 1, 2011, for Finland.

Therefore, a European patent can be easier validated for Finland if the following requirements are fulfilled:

– the European patent is granted in English

– the European patent is granted with effect on or after November 1, 2011

– Finland is designated

– a Finnish translation of the claims of the European patent is supplied with the Finnish patent office

 

Change of fees for international patent applications according to the PCT

The Word Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or International Bureau (IB) recently changed the fees for international patent applications according to the PCT. From September 1, 2011,the following fees are effective (currency is Euros):

International filing fee (applicable on the date of receipt of a PCT application): 1088

Fee per sheet in excess of 30 sheets: 12

Handling fee (applicable if an international preliminary examination is requested and on the date of payment): 164

Reduction for electronic filing

– with the request being in character coded format: 164

– with the request, description, claims and abstract being in character coded format: 245

If a PCT application is filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) or the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO), the transmittal fee of Euro 115 (EPO) or  Euro 90 (GPTO) has to be paid in addition to the above changed fees.

Furthermore, the international search fee of Euro 1785 must be added.