Highlights of changes to the Chinese Patent Law

Toby Mak

The 3^rd amendments to the Chinese Patent Law were passed by the Chinese Government recently, and will come into force on 1 October 2009. There are some fundamental changes in these amendments, which should be noted by patent practitioners. My article below, which was published in the January 2009 issue of the UK CIPA Journal, discusses these changes:

http://www.onc.hk/pub/oncfile/publication/ip/0902_en_3rd_amendment_to_Chinese_Patent_Law.pdf

The changes cover security clearance, transfer of Chinese patents/designs to foreign entities, various changes regarding designs, and co-ownership. This article also discusses the practical implications of these changes to patent practitioners and owners.