In many countries, including the UK, one of the cornerstones of the patent system is that you should apply for a patent before disclosing your invention publicly. This is because the ‘self-disclosure’ can be used to invalidate a subsequently filed patent application. That’s a horrible situation, because you may have really shot yourself in the foot in terms of getting patent protection in the UK and many other countries. For this reason, we firmly advise that you keep the invention secret before filing a patent application on the invention. But in the real world these things can happen. So what can you do if you’ve accidentally disclosed your invention before you’ve filed a patent application?

The EU and Vietnam have reached an agreement in principle for a free trade agreement  (FTA), after two and a half years of intense negotiations.

Please be aware of any suspicious-looking renewal instruction requests or invoices sent directly to you. If you're unsure we are more than happy to help you.

At long last, the EPO have made a decision on the renewal fee structure for the Unitary Patent (UP).

On 25^th March 2015, the Enlarged Board of Appeal at the EPO released its decision on the so-called Broccoli II (G2/13) and Tomatoes II (G2/12) cases, both of which relate to the patentability of plants and plant matter under Article 53(b) EPC. The Tomato II case relates to a “method for breeding tomatoes having reduced water content and product of the method”, with the Broccoli II case involving a “method for selective increase of the anticarcinogenic glucosinolates in brassica species”.

In an unexpected price rise the UAE Ministry of Economy has announced a substantial increase in official fees on trade mark applications.

Social media is now an integral part of everyday life –something which brand owners have been quick to recognise.   As a result social media has fast become a vital part of any marketing strategy, for consumer products in particular, with many phrases, straplines and brands being devised specifically for targeted marketing campaigns using media such as Facebook and Twitter.