UK Intellectual Property Bill Passed By Parliament Yesterday

An IP Bill introducing changes to patent and design law in the UK was passed yesterday by Parliament. Following the formality of royal assent, the changes will be implemented into the statute. The changes can be grouped into three items and below are links to three briefings on these items.

Briefly the changes to the patent and design law in the UK will:

1) put the UK in a position to ratify the agreement on a European Union (EU) Unified Patent Court (UPC)

2) update UK design law, including the introduction of a new criminal offence for infringement of registered designs

3) make some more minor changes to the Patents Act relating to patents