Minor updates have recently been made to the patent examination guidelines applicable at the Swiss Institute of Intellectual Property. An erratum at the end of the document lists the changes made. The adapted version of the guidelines is now available online (available in German and French only / pdf 1300 kB).

Benoît Battistelli will continue to head the European Patent Office (EPO) as president for another three years.  The 63-year old Frenchman received the support of the Administrative Council and, with that, of the delegations from all 38 member states in the European Patent Organisation. EPO announcementPress response (in German)

The European Patent Office has changed its billing procedures for charging for the cost of using its search system through national patent offices. This means that as of 1.7.2014, these charges will also be adjusted accordingly for our customers. As of this date, we will charge our customers for the number of database transactions instead of the time spent using the search system as previously....

The European patent with unitary effect (more commonly known as the unitary patent) is being welcomed by leading European patent applicants. According to a recently published study, the vast majority of those responsible for patents in companies headquartered in Europe are in favour of the introduction of the European patent.Only a minority are critical that future judges at the Unified Patent...

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) has advised that, in addition to other amendments, the period for filing opposition to the grant of a patent in Germany will be extended from three to nine months with the entry into force of the amended Patent Law. Notice from the DPMA on the entry into force of the Act Revising Certain Provisions of Patent Law and Other Acts in the Field of...

In a company takeover, the transfer of intellectual property such as trade marks, patent rights and licence agreements is also included the business transaction. It's therefore crucial that both parties know how new and innovative the innovations of the company being disposed of are, because only enforceable patents can help to ensure a profitable monopoly position in the long-term and/or...

The European Patent Office (EPO) currently maintains euro accounts in various member states for the purpose of fee payments. The EPO has recently communicated that it will close its account at the UBS AG Zurich at the end of August 2014. From 1 September 2014, payments to the EPO are to be paid to the following account: IBAN DE20 7008 0000 0333 8800 00BIC DRESDEFF700Commerzbank AGPromenadeplatz...

The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW has opened a Swiss SME Research Center China in Harbin in the northeast of the People's Republic of China. With the support of the local provincial government, its aim is to provide assistance to SMEs from China and Switzerland in understanding each other's economic systems.ip-search's expert on China is supporting...

According to the Innovation Survey for Germany by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), the innovation budget in Germany increased by 3.7% to more than 140 billion euros in 2013. This peak is expected to be surpassed by a further 3% in 2014.The overall figures cover a concentration of individual industries, a third of which are attributable to the vehicle industry, another third of...

The European Patent Office (EPO) and the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM - Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the EU) have published their second joint study this year entitled European Citizens and Intellectual Property. Based on surveys of EU citizens concerning the importance of intellectual property with regard to general perception and personal codes of...