IP Australia, the Government body responsible for Intellectual
Property in Australia, has announced changes in their Official
Fees. Most fee increases are designed to encourage the use of an
electronic filing gateway which is to be introduced by IP Australia
in the near future.
As part of these fee changes, IP Australia has introduced a
fourth anniversary annuity fee, resulting in annuities being
payable on Australian standard patent applications and standard
patents a year earlier than at present.
This new fee will come into force on 1 July 2012 and will apply
to standard patent applications or standard patents having an
effective filing date in Australia of 1 July 2008, or later.
Divisional standard patent applications or patents whose earliest
parent application has a filing date in Australia of 1 July 2008,
or later will also have the new fee applied.
