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patent procedure

Belgium and the Netherlands: the fast and the furious!

In contrast to the new patent procedure in France, the Belgian and Dutch patent procedures are remarkably simple and similar. 
Although both procedures require a search report, possible objections with respect to novelty and inventive step will not stand in the way of a grant of the patent. This means that applicants fulfilling all formal requirements can be quite certain of the grant of their application for patent protection in Belgium and the Netherlands.

BREXIT: Checklist

The Brexit Transition period ends December 31st, 2020 and on January 1st, 2021, the UK and related territories, such as Gibraltar, will no longer be considered as an EU member state. IP owners need to act on these checklist items to avoid additional fees or face improper documentation matters that could be problematic down the road. 

BREXIT: Plant Variety Rights

In the context of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the EU, the time has come to assess the consequences of Brexit for breeders regarding already granted CPVRs, and both pending and future applications. Indeed, after the end of the transition period i.e. 31 December 2020, the UK will be considered as a third country to the EU and the CPVR Regulation will no longer apply to the UK.  

BREXIT: License Agreements

In this article of our Brexit specials, we will discuss the territorial implications of Brexit on trademark license agreements. Although this article focuses on trademark license agreements, some of the principles outlined in this article can also be applicable to other IP rights, such as designs, patents, …