BREXIT – What does it mean for my IP?!
As of 31st December 2020 any EU Registered Designs or EU Trademarks have automatically been granted comparable rights in the UK. Any International Design Registrations designating the EU have also been automatically granted comparable rights in the UK. This is subject to the payment of renewal fees.
If your current EU Registered Design or EU Trademark was pending at this time, we have 9 months to re-register this at the UKIPO in order for the new re-registrations to retain the earlier EU filing date and any priority claims.
Any renewals that were due after 31st December 2020 are payable to both the EUIPO (for the original EU registration) and the UKIPO (for the UK re-registration). We will always inform you of upcoming renewal schedules well in advance of the deadline in order for you to make the appropriate decisions for your IP.
All European Patents were unaffected by Brexit as the European Patent Office is not an EU agency.
You can find more information in the link below but if you have any questions or concerns relating to your IP and Brexit please do not hesitate to contact us!