At its meeting on 2 December 2024, the Federal Council elected Caroline Perriard to the Institute Council of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). On 1 March 2025, she will succeed Béatrice Renggli, whose 12-year term of office will expire at the end of February 2025. Caroline Perriard, who lives in the canton of Vaud, is an expert on data protection and intellectual property...

Four hundred participants attend CLTR 2024 in Basel When the computer becomes your competitor: at CLTR 2024, representatives from the creative sector, politics, business and academia discussed the relationship between creative work, artificial intelligence and the platform economy. According to a recent study by PwC Switzerland, around half of Swiss creative professionals already use AI...

After around 20 years of negotiations, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) succeeded in adopting a new treaty on intellectual property and genetic resources in the small hours of 24 May 2024. The new treaty stipulates that the origin of genetic resources and the associated traditional knowledge must be disclosed in patent applications. The aim of this measure is to increase...

On 22 May 2024, the Federal Council submitted a draft on the revision of patent law for consultation. This provides for the establishment of a clearing house to increase transparency regarding patent rights in plant breeding. The consultation procedure will run until 12 September 2024. Federal Council media release Further information on our website

Media companies are to receive remuneration from large online service providers for the use of their journalistic works in future. Journalists are to benefit from this too. The Federal Council opened the consultation on the amendment to the Copyright Act (CopA) on 24 May 2023. It will continue until 15 September 2023. Federal Council's media release Further information on our website

From counterfeit luxury watches to designer handbags: thanks to a new procedure, it will be easier to destroy fake products arriving in Switzerland in small consignments in future. On 26 April 2023, the Federal Council noted the outcome of the consultation procedure and adopted the dispatch and the draft of the Federal Act on the Introduction of a Simplified Procedure for Destroying Small...

The number of trade marks active in Switzerland has continued to rise. At the end of 2022, there were almost 550,000 active trade marks. The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) recommends searching databases before applying to register a trade mark. This helps to avoid conflicts with third parties. It is also worth conducting a search before applying to protect inventions and...

At its meeting on 11 January 2023, the Federal Council elected Stefan Hostettler Fischer as Secretary General of the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) and member of the Institute Council of the IPI, with effect from 1 February 2023. In the role of Secretary General of the FDJP and member of the Institute Council, he succeeds Barbara Hübscher Schmuki, the new Secretary General...

Trade marks are a valuable asset for many companies. By registering them, companies identify their product as being their intellectual property and thereby protect themselves from free riders. In future, it will be less expensive to file a trade mark and renew its term of protection in Switzerland. The Federal Council approved the amended Fee Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Institute of...

Marcus Ehnle (born in 1969) will become a member of the Executive Board on 1 July 2023. As the new Head of the Patent Division, he will replace Alban Fischer, who will be leaving the IPI at the end of June 2023 after more than 24 years of service. Marcus Ehnle initially studied geophysics and then obtained a Master of Law (University of Lucerne), and is a qualified European, German and Swiss...

Too attractive, too cheap, too generous? Trade in new and used products is increasingly shifting to online marketplaces. Fraudsters are taking advantage of this. They use tricks to lure their victims into acting carelessly or they deliberately mislead them. Trust your instinct. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. Take a close look if you’re in any doubt and double check anything that...

The Patents Act is to be adapted to international standards and the Swiss patent system is to be made more attractive to SMEs and individual inventors, in particular. They will be able to choose the patent examination procedure that suits their needs and resources. At its meeting on 16 November 2022, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the partial revision of the Patents Act for submission...

On 18 May 2022, the Federal Council adopted the strategic objectives for the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) for the years 2022 to 2026. To boost innovation and competitiveness, the IPI has been tasked with promoting appropriate, economically viable protection of intellectual property in Switzerland in future too. For further information: Federal Council's media release...

During 2021, Switzerland’s life sciences sector again played a major role in combating the COVID pandemic with two Swiss based companies developing in partnerships effective Covid-specific therapeutics (Humabs BioMed/Vir Biotechnology and Molecular Partners/Novartis). In addition, Swiss life science companies also continued their work developing innovative solutions for other high unmet medical...

The European Patent Office (EPO) received 188 600 applications in 2021, up 4.5% on the previous year and the highest number to date. The EPO’s Patent Index 2021, published today, shows that patent filings rebounded significantly last year after a slight dip in 2020 (-0.6%). The number of patent applications – an early indicator of companies’ investments in research and development – increased in...

Swiss companies demonstrated their innovative spirit once again during the second year of the pandemic. More trade mark applications were filed in 2021 than in the previous year. Additionally, around 1,000 innovators carried out a search with the IPI to examine their inventions in detail. More trade mark applications are filed every year in Switzerland. This upward trend also continued during...

The Federal Council acknowledged the results of the consultation on the partial revision of the Patents Act at its meeting of 18 August 2021 and decided on the further course of action. Modernising the patent examination procedure was, in principle, welcomed in the consultation. The Federal Council has decided to take into account the criticism voiced in individual areas by making adjustments to...

Swiss producers will in future be able to register geographical indications in several states simultaneously via a simple procedure. At its meeting on 18 August 2021, the Federal Council approved the entry into force of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications as well as the implementing ordinances per 1 December 2021. You can find further...

At its meeting on 26 May 2021, the Federal Council took note of the report (in German and French, pdf) by the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) entitled ‘Access to non-personal data in the private sector’. The digital economy significantly contributes to the economic performance of Switzerland. To facilitate access to non-personal data held by the private sector, the report...

Statutory regulations have been in force since 1 January 2017 for products and services that producers want to promote with ‘Swissness’, such as with a Swiss cross or a ‘Swiss Made’ label, for example. The aim of these rules is to protect the ‘Swiss’ brand from misuse and secure companies that produce in Switzerland an important long-term competitive advantage. The ‘Swissness’ legislation...

The Director General of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) will prepare the business of the Administrative Council in this eight-member body for the next three years. The Council supervises the activities of the European Patent Office. The 38 member states of the EPO, which has its headquarters in Munich, include all EU states as well as Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Buying counterfeits costs consumers huge sums of money. The corresponding trade damages the good reputation of Swiss companies and reduces their turnover by billions each year. As a result, in 2018, Switzerland forfeited over 10,000 jobs. For the first time, a new study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has provided concrete figures on the issue. Global trade...

The number of patent applications received by the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2020 from Switzerland has fallen by 1.9% to 8,112 according to the EPO’s newly published Patent Index 2020. The EPO reports that this is the first decline in Swiss patent applications since 2009 (-2.9%), the year after the start of the financial crisis. Despite the declining trend, however, Switzerland was still...

Switzerland is a country of inventors. Start-ups and SMEs reinforce this reputation with their innovations and creative achievements. Intellectual property and its protection is a key piece of the puzzle for a company on the path to success.  It is only when a SME knows how to manage their intellectual assets and how to protect their own innovations that they are able to make strategic and...

The legal criteria for the long-term protection of ‘Swissness’ are fulfilling their purpose. This has been confirmed in studies commissioned by the Federal Council. They are adding value to the Swiss economy and are also leading to a decrease in cases of ‘Swissness’ misuse, particularly within Switzerland. However, in a report approved on 18 December 2020, the Federal Council sees potential for...

Even in this challenging year, the spirit of innovation in Switzerland has remained intact. The thousandth invention this year was examined for its patenting potential in November at the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). The IPI had already carried out one thousand assisted patent searches by November this year. This service supports inventors in finding out where they...

Watch out when shopping online because toys, clothes, jewellery accessories and new high-tech products are all very much in demand in the pre-Christmas period. It is the season when many consumers expect to bag a really good bargain. You can find further information in the STOP PIRACY media release.

The Federal Council wants to modernise the Swiss patent system and adapt it to international standards. It opened the consultation procedure on the partial revision of the Patents Act on 14 October 2020. The consultation proposes that a patent should only be granted if the invention to be patented is novel and innovative. This would lead to more legal certainty and increase the value of granted...

Swiss producers should in future be able to register geographical indications in several states simultaneously via a simple procedure. The Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the approval and implementation (amendment of trade mark law) of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications for submission to Parliament at its meeting on 5 June 2020. ...

At their General Assembly, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) appointed Daren Tang of Singapore as the new Director General. He will succeed Francis Gurry, who has led the organisation for twelve years. Mr Tang’s six-year term of office will begin on 1 October. With reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new Director General emphasised that, more than...

Trade marks in Switzerland continue to be popular. More than 17,000 applications for trade marks were received by the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) in 2019, which is slightly more than the previous year. There are now more than 500,000 trade marks in force nationally. Applications for design rights, on the other hand, have remained stable, while the number of patent...

The revised Copyright Act strengthens the rights of creative artists and cultural industries, as well as facilitating research. The Federal Council put into force the revised act, which adapts the applicable law to technological developments, as of 1 April 2020. Further information can be found in the Federal Council's media release (only available in German, French and Italian).

Whether it is counterfeit watches or handbags, it should soon be easier for the Federal Customs Administration (FCA) to destroy fake products in small consignments. A new procedure aims to reduce the administrative effort by giving the authorities more leeway for their checks. These checks are essential – the importation of small consignments from Asia into Switzerland increased sixfold between...

The Federal Council has elected Corina Eichenberger-Walther as President of the Institute Council of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property within the framework of the elections of the extra-parliamentary commissions and federal management bodies. Also elected to the Institute Council is Prof. Dr. Oliver Gassman, while the other members of the council were re-elected for the...

The agreement between Georgia and Switzerland on the protection of geographical indications and use of the indication of source “Switzerland” comes into force on 1 September 2019. It protects well-known Swiss indications and contributes to maintaining the long-term reputation of Swiss quality products. Key points at a glance: The agreement lists protected designations. This means that, in...

Bündnerfleisch, Formaggio d'alpe ticinese or the designation “Swiss” for watches – geographical indications offer an important competitive edge in the global market. This is why it should in future be possible for Swiss producers to obtain protection for such indications in all member states of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement via a simple, cost-effective application procedure. The Federal...

Successful measures in the fight against misuse of “Swissness” and fewer offences in Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) reports a positive result for the year 2018. The key points at a glance: In 2018, the IPI did not have to initiate any criminal proceedings in Switzerland. In the 78 interventions led by the IPI, all of the companies involved were...

From 1 July 2019, new annual fees will apply to Swiss patents and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs). The Federal Council approved the amendment to the IPI Fee Ordinance on 17 April 2019. As a result, a Swiss patent will be less expensive over its entire maximum term of validity. The annual fees will continue to increase in line with the term of the patent. However, they will now...

Almost 1 ,000 trade marks were applied for at the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) in 2018. As a result, there are now more than 500 000 trade marks in force for the first time in Switzerland. Registering a trade mark protects companies from free-riders, although trade marks are not the only thing that companies and private individuals can apply to register. This is also...

The Institute Council of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) has appointed Jürgen Horwath and Iwan Guler as new members of the IPI Executive Board. Mr Guler, whose appointment comes into effect in April 2019, follows in the footsteps of Ueli Buri, who has been selected as the new Data Protection Commissioner of the Canton of Bern. Jürgen Horwath will become an executive...

A partial revision to the Patents Act and its implementing provisions will come into force together with an ordinary revision of the Therapeutic Products Act on 1 January 2019. This was decided by the Federal Council at its meeting on 21 September 2018 (Media release of 21 September 2018 in German/French/Italian).The partial revision introduces the following improvements for medical personnel,...

Georgia and Switzerland have today signed a bilateral agreement on the mutual protection of their geographical indications and the indication of source Switzerland. The agreement protects well-known Swiss indications and thus contributes to the preservation of the reputation of Swiss quality products over the long term. “Geographical indications and indications of source are an important marketing...

On 1 January 2018, the Monitoring Office for Technological Measures (OTM) will be transferred to the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). The Federal Council adapted the Copyright Ordinance accordingly at its meeting of 29 September 2017. Media release in German, French, Italian (pdf)

On 2 December 2016, the Federal Council acknowledged the results of the consultation on the partial revision of the Copyright Act (CopA). The report on the results shows that modernising copyright law is generally welcomed although views on the course to take diverge widely. The Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) is therefore currently carrying out a review and will submit a proposal...

On 2 December 2016, the Federal Council adopted amendments to the Trade Mark Ordinance, the Design Ordinance and the Patent Ordinance. These amendments harmonise procedures before the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) to the extent permitted by applicable law. This is to simplify the system. The Federal Council has, at the same time, approved the formal total revision of...

The Federal Council approved the "Swiss Made" Ordinance for Cosmetics at its meeting on 23 November 2016. This strengthens the good reputation of the “Swiss Made” brand for cosmetics as well as Switzerland as a location for research and production. The ordinance enters into force on 1 January 2017. More information. Media release in German / French / Italian

The Federal Council carried out Parliament's mandate on Wednesday and approved the implementing ordinances for the 'Swissness' legislative amendment. In doing so, the Federal Council has fully utilised the legal framework available. It has taken into consideration the legitimate concerns of the industries concerned as well as all substantive recommendations made by the parliamentary committees...

The Federal Council appointed Catherine Chammartin as the new Director General of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) on Wednesday. She will take up her post on 1 November 2015. Medienmitteilung (pdf, 18 KB)Communiqué de presse (pdf, 124 KB)Comunicato stampa (pdf, 124 KB)

The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) is financing the participation of indigenous peoples at a seminar of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The seminar aims to serve as a platform for the direct transfer of information and knowledge on the subjects of intellectual property, genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore, with participation aiming to...