Patent Office Updates You Need to Know (September 8, 2020)

As part of our dedication to helping our clients stay up-to-date on the ever-changing landscape as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve compiled the following highlights of changes to patent, trademark, and copyright operations around the world.  

As always, a complete list of countries may be found in our Google Document.

Update Highlights

• The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released a joint statement with Cornell University, INSEAD, and the 2020 Global Innovation Index (GII) Knowledge Partners that analyzes COVID-19 Pandemic’s expected impact on global innovation, available here.
• The Korean IP Office (KIPO) has announced, from September 2020, a temporary reduction in the interest rate for loans under the IP deduction. The agency states that "in the case of IP cost loans applied by subscribing companies, an interest rate of 1.25%, a 0.5% cut compared to the previous one, and a 1.0% reduction, 2.25%, for a management fund loan, are applied for one year."
• The German IP Office (DPMA) remains closed to the public until further notice but remains fully operational.
• The Venezuelan IP Office (SAPI) has informedthat during the country's “State of Alarm Decree' triggered by the coronavirus crisis, the agency has registered 883 trademarks in total. Of those marks, 577 are from national applicants, while 306 are applications from abroad. 

• Other general closures & deadline extensions have been added to the document.

If you have any patent or trademark questions during this time, do not hesitate to contact us.

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Vorys COVID-19 Task Force

Vorys attorneys and professionals are counseling our clients in the myriad issues related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.  We have also established a comprehensive Coronavirus Task Force, which includes attorneys with deep experience in the niche disciplines that we have been and expect to continue receiving questions regarding coronavirus. Learn more and see the latest updates from the task force at vorys.com/coronavirus.