ARTICLE · 02 APRIL 2008

London Agreement To Come Into Force On 1 May 2008

Howrey LLP

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Following the deposit of the instrument of ratification by France at the German Federal Ministry of Justice on 19 January 2008, the much anticipated London Agreement will now come into force on 1 May 2008.

United KingdomIntellectual Property

Following the deposit of the instrument of ratification by France at the German Federal Ministry of Justice on 19 January 2008, the much anticipated London Agreement will now come into force on 1 May 2008.

The London Agreement ushers in a new era of reduced validation costs in Europe through the waiving of the requirement for translations of granted European patents into the national languages of a number of contracting states.

The Agreement provides that countries that have an official language that is also an official language of the EPO (i.e. English, French or German) will no longer require the translation of a European patent; even if the language in which the patent is granted is not an official language of the country. So, for example, the United Kingdom will not require a translation into English if the language in which the patent is granted is German or French. This will apply to:

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