New UKIPO patent fees to come into force
Following a consultation process, the UKIPO has published guidance on the new fee structure which will come into force on 6 April 2018. The fee changes are being implemented with the aim of maintaining a sustainable income for the UKIPO, while retaining the international competitiveness of the UK patent system. As before, the bulk of the UKIPO costs of granting a patent will be recovered from renewal fees, rather than pre-grant fees, in order to keep the process accessible to all and to encourage meaningful innovation. For the first time, however, the fees are intended to “encourage good filing practices by applicants”, via the introduction of excess claims fees and excess pages fees, and an increase in the e-filing discount applicable to the application, search and examination fees. Full details of the fee changes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-patents-fees-coming-into-force-on-6-april-2018/new-patent-fees-guidance-for-business
