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ARTICLE · 19 APRIL 2022

Singapore Patents: Process changes and fee updates in the Intellectual Property (Amendment) Act 2022

Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers
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A summary of the key changes in the procedures and fees for filing patent applications in Singapore.

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Choo Chiou Yu
Choo Chiou Yu
Natsuho Yamamoto
Natsuho Yamamoto
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We had previously reported that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore ("IPOS") had proposed an Intellectual Property ("IP") (Amendment) Bill 2021 (the "Bill"). The Bill was passed on 12 January 2022 and the Intellectual Property (Amendment) Act 2022 (the "Amendments Act") will be coming into effect in Singapore on 29 April 2022. The Amendment Act outlines the changes in procedures and fees for patents, trademarks, registered designs and plant varieties protection. Here, we summarise the key changes in the procedures and fees for filing patent applications in Singapore.

Alternative Form of Office Action

During examination, if the Examiner is of the view that a relatively minor objection may be resolved by amending the application without a Written Opinion, they may invite the applicant to amend the application by issuing an "invitation to amend" in lieu of a Written Opinion. The non-extendable deadline to respond to an invitation to amend is two months.

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