“Starting October 1, a series of new foreign intellectual property regulations will officially come into effect!”

1. From October 1, 2024: European Patent Office to Cease Providing Paper Copies of Cited Patent Documents

Recently, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced that from October 1, 2024, patent documents cited in the search and examination procedures under the EPC and PCT will be accessible via Espacenet, and paper copies will no longer be provided.

2. From October 1, 2024: United States Patent and Trademark Office to Significantly Increase Official Fees

According to the Federal Register published on April 3, 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is set to make major adjustments to its patent fee structure for the fiscal year 2025. Public comments were accepted until June 3, 2024. The revised fee structure is scheduled to be implemented on October 1, 2024.

3. From October 1, 2024: New Fee Standards for Australian Patents and Trademarks to Take Effect

IP Australia recently released a draft of its 2024-2025 Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS), outlining an increase in fees for patent, design, and trademark applications. The new fee schedule will take effect on October 1, 2024.