The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) announced last week that the fees for patent search and examination reports and for trade mark applications will be reduced effective 1 April 2017.
Requests for patent search and examination reports where the International Search Report or International Preliminary Examination Report has been established by IPOS under the Patents Cooperation Treaty (PCT) will see the highest decrease of SGD950, or 37%. IPOS has been acting as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the PCT since 1 September 2015.
Applications where IPOS has not acted as ISA or IPEA will also see a fee decrease between SGD275 and SGD650, or between 14% and 25%.
IPOS states that the announced decrease of fees is part of IPOS’ efforts to support Singapore’s innovators and make IP protection more affordable, in keeping IPOS’ vision to help drive innovation in Singapore.
While IPOS will increase the fees for renewing patents and trade marks for the first time in about a decade, there will be a 50 percent discount in patent renewal fees for patent owners who are willing to offer their patents for licensing.
Furthermore, IPOS will reduce fees for applying for trade marks using a pre-approved list of goods and services by 30%. The trade mark specialists of Spruson & Ferguson can help you evaluate whether filing using the pre-approved list of goods and services is sufficient for your needs.
With the fees adjustment of 1 April 2017, Singapore remains one of the most attractive countries for IP filing, with competitive rates compared to other major jurisdictions.
IPOS Chief Executive Daren Tang said, “Singapore’s innovation scene is becoming more vibrant, with more companies and start-ups seeking to create business value through IP. The fee revisions make it easier and cheaper for them to protect their brands and technology. We hope that more of our creative enterprises and inventors will be encouraged by these changes to have a strong foundation for taking their ideas to the world.”
Contact our patent and trade mark specialists for more information on how you can benefit from the reduced fees.