WIPO has, with a view to address possible disruptions to users of the Madrid, PCT and Hague Systems in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, compiled all relevant information, including available remedies against failure to meet a time limit, here.

Pursuant to a notification mandating a complete 21-day lockdown of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks has issued a Public Notice dated March 25, 2020. By way of this Notice, all upcoming statutory deadlines and hearings in relation to Trade Marks, Patents, Copyrights,  Designs and/or Geographical Indications falling between March 25, 2020 and April 14, 2020 stand extended till April 15, 2020.

The Indian Patent Office has notified that it will re-open its window for applicants to file requests under the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program. Fresh requests can be filed  March 9, 2020 onward.

To recall, the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program commenced between the Indian Patent Office (IPO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) in December 2019.

Earlier, in December 2019, the TM Office had issued a Public Notice inviting grievances/suggestions from stakeholders on registering Trade Marks (covered here). The TM Office has now, vide Public Notice dated February 20, 2020, responded to the grievances/suggestions received from the stakeholders.

Suggestions accepted by the TM Office include inter alia publishing (in the Trade Marks Journal) multi-class applications separately in respective lists for the applied-for classes, as against the current practice of it being published  in the list titled “Class 99”, and making the Applicant’s/Opponent’s e-mail addresses visible in the TM Office’s online records. These will be implemented soon.

The 2020 Budget presentation includes measures towards creation and protection of intellectual property as key elements in realizing the Government’s vision of an extended base for knowledge-driven enterprises and start-ups.

Proposed measures include digital platforms aimed at facilitating seamless application and capture of IP, setting up knowledge translation clusters, mapping of India’s genetic landscape for next-generation medicine and biodiversity management, and creation of a national level database for the same.