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IP Legal Bulletin
Short notes on rule changes at patent and trade mark offices: laws, fees, procedures, deadlines and funding calls. Every note links to its official source, and past issues stay in the archive.
- Information, not legal advice
- Written with AI assistance, checked automatically against the source
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Offices followed: 14 (EPO, EUIPO, EU, UKIPO, DPMA (Germany), IGE (Switzerland), PRV (Sweden), PRH (Finland), Patentamt (Austria), IPOI (Ireland), USPTO, TIPO (Taiwan), WIPO, IPONZ (New Zealand)). · 29 coming soon
Issue of 24 August 2026
4 notes
- USPTOLaw or regulation
USPTO final rule adopts Nice Classification 13th edition, version 2027
The USPTO issues a final rule to bring the Nice Agreement classification changes into its trademark practice. The changes are listed in the 13th edition, version 2027, of the Nice Classification published by WIPO. They take effect on January 1, 2027.
Published by the source on 26 August 2026
Official source: Federal Register, United States Patent and Trademark Office
- USPTOCase law
PTAB designates informative decision on proper Markush groupings
The PTAB designated Ex parte Chowdhury (Appeal 2025-002261) as informative after a stakeholder nomination. The Board reversed a rejection of claims for improper Markush groupings. It held that a Markush grouping is proper if it recites members of a subgenus and the specification describes those members as performing similar functions in the invention.
Published by the source on 25 August 2026
- USPTOLaw or regulation
USPTO to incorporate Nice Classification updates in 2027
The USPTO says it will bring the updates to the Nice Classification into its trademark practice in 2027. The entry does not give a day for the change.
Published by the source on 25 August 2026
- PRV (Sweden)Procedure
PRV points to remedies for missed patent time limits after Japan earthquake
PRV draws attention to the general legal remedies for failure to observe time limits under the Patents Act. The notice follows the earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on 28 July 2026.
Published by the source on 28 August 2026
Official source: Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV), news
Notes are written with the help of artificial intelligence from the offices’ official sources, and each note is checked automatically against its source before it appears. Our editors review and correct them. Every note links to its source. Information, not legal advice.
Archive
Past issues, newest first.
- Issue of 9 November 20263 notes
- Issue of 2 November 20266 notes
- Issue of 26 October 20262 notes
- Issue of 19 October 20261 note
- Issue of 12 October 20262 notes
- Issue of 28 September 20267 notes
- Issue of 14 September 20262 notes
- Issue of 7 September 20262 notes
- Issue of 31 August 20261 note
- Issue of 17 August 20262 notes
- Issue of 10 August 20264 notes
- Issue of 3 August 20261 note
- Issue of 27 July 20263 notes
- Issue of 20 July 20264 notes
- Issue of 13 July 20266 notes
- Issue of 6 July 20261 note
- Issue of 29 June 20263 notes
- Issue of 22 June 20265 notes
- Issue of 15 June 20263 notes
- Issue of 8 June 20266 notes
- Issue of 1 June 20265 notes
- Issue of 25 May 20262 notes
- Issue of 18 May 20261 note
- Issue of 11 May 20261 note
Offices coming soon
These offices are declared and will be followed as soon as their official source can be read automatically. Their notes are not in the bulletin yet.
Europe
- UPCEurope (UPC states)
- MIMIT (Italy)Italy
- OEPM (Spain)Spain
- DKPTO (Denmark)Denmark
- Patentstyret (Norway)Norway
- BOIP (Benelux)Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
- UPRP (Poland)Poland
- IPO CZ (Czechia)Czechia
- INPI (Portugal)Portugal
- TURKPATENT (Türkiye)Türkiye
- Rospatent (Russia)Russia
Asia
- JPO (Japan)Japan
- KIPO (Korea)South Korea
- CNIPA (China)China
- CGPDTM (India)India
- IPD (Hong Kong)Hong Kong
- IP VietnamVietnam
- IPOPHL (Philippines)Philippines
- DIP (Thailand)Thailand
- DGIP (Indonesia)Indonesia
- MyIPO (Malaysia)Malaysia
- ILPO (Israel)Israel
- SAIP (Saudi Arabia)Saudi Arabia
International
- EAPOEurasia
- OAPIAfrica (member states)
- GCC Patent OfficeGulf Cooperation Council
Other
- IP AustraliaAustralia
- INPI (Brazil)Brazil
- CIPC (South Africa)South Africa
Also watched, with nothing relevant lately: INPI (France), IPOS (Singapore), ARIPO, CIPO (Canada), IMPI (Mexico).