Measures Being Taken by EPO, EUIPO, WIPO and UK IPO in Relation to COVID-19 Pandemic

Measures Taken by the EPO

The EPO has adopted a number of measures in view of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, all “periods” expiring on or after 15 March 2020 are extended until 2 June 2020 for all parties and their representatives, under the provisions of Rule 134(2) EPC. In accordance with Article 150(2) EPC, this extension applies also for international applications under the PCT. The justification for the extension is that disruption in Germany, a country in which the EPO is located, constitutes “general dislocation” as specified in Rule 134(2) EPC. It follows that if the disruption continues beyond 2 June 2020, then the EPO will in due course extend periods until such time as the disruption ceases. In addition, the EPO recognises that the pandemic counts as an “exceptional occurrence”, such that retrospective extensions of missed deadlines may be available under the EPC (Rule 134(5) EPC) and PCT (Rule 82quater.1 PCT).

Second, the EPO has taken a number of steps in relation to oral proceedings. Specifically, all oral proceedings before the Boards of Appeal up until 15 May 2020 were cancelled, and the Boards of Appeal are aiming to resume in person oral proceedings in Haar, Munich to a limited extent from 18 May 2020. The Boards of Appeal have also introduced the possibility of oral proceedings by videoconference, if all parties agree. All oral proceedings before opposition divisions up until 2 June 2020 have been postponed, except for those opposition division oral proceedings which have been, or are, rescheduled to take place by videoconference under the EPO’s pilot project (see our news item here). As with the provisions of Rule 134(2) EPC, there may be further postponements of both Board of Appeal and opposition division oral proceedings if the disruption continues into June 2020. The EPO intends for all oral proceedings before examining divisions to take place, at least in principle, by videoconference (see our news item here).  

Measures Taken by the EUIPO

The Executive Director of the EUIPO published, on 29 April 2020, an Order under Article 101(4) of the EU Trade Mark Regulation and Article 100 of the Community Designs Regulation applying an automatic extension to 18 May 2020 of all deadlines expiring between 9 March 2020 and 17 May 2020. The earlier Presidential communication of 19 March 2020 confirms that “all deadlines” means all time limits for all proceedings before the EUIPO including payment of fees, priority claims, opposition periods, opposition fees, renewals, appeals, conversion and deferment of publication in respect of Community Designs. The Order does not apply to appeals to the General Court. Nothing will be provided by the Office to confirm these extensions on an individual basis.

On 15 May 2020 the Executive Director published a further Order informing interested parties that the earlier Orders extending all deadlines to 18 May will come to an end on 18 May 2020. The Office has provided users with further guidance on the regular means of coping with time limits stipulated in the applicable Regulations, in case they still face operational difficulties in view of the pandemic arising from measures taken by public authorities against the pandemic, or sickness of the party and / or their representative, etc. The Note (found at https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/covid-19-information#15_may_1) gives guidance on the following: 

• Extension of time limits in ex parte and inter partes proceedings (Article 68 EUTMDR and Article 57 CDIR)
• Suspension of proceedings (Article 71 EUTMDR)
• Continuation of proceedings (Article 105 EUTMR)
• Restitutio in Integrum (Article 104 EUTMR and Article 67 CDR)

The EUIPO Guidelines, and the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal of EUIPO shall be interpreted in the light of this communication in so far as they relate to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Measures Taken by the UK IPO

The UK IPO has declared 24 March 2020 and subsequent days to be “interrupted days”, until further notice. This means that all UK patent, SPC, trade mark and design deadlines falling in the period of interruption will be extended to the next non-interrupted day. The UK IPO will be reviewing the situation on 28 May 2020. The interruption will then either be continued or be announced as ending after a further two weeks. Accordingly, all UK deadlines from 24 March onwards will effectively be extended until 11 June 2020.

The UK IPO has also indicated that it will be open to extensions of time in view of the outbreak on a discretionary basis. Reinstatement and restoration in relation to missed deadlines may also be available. In situations where the coronavirus outbreak is likely to delay or prevent applicants meeting deadlines for pending UK patent, SPC, design or trade mark matters which fall outside the period of interruption, the possibility of a discretionary extension is therefore also available.

Importantly, the interruption applies only to time periods set out in UK Acts and Rules, and non-statutory UK deadlines. The interruption does not apply to time periods set out under international IP treaties (PCT, EPC, Madrid) where the UK IPO acts as receiving office. The interruption applies when claiming Paris Convention priority in a patent application, but not when claiming Paris Convention priority in a registered design or trade mark filing. The interruption also applies to periods for paying renewal fees, except for the six month grace period for late payment of renewal fees on registered designs. 

As with the EPO, the UK IPO remains operational, and will also allocate filing dates for newly filed cases and accept other submissions/fee payments as normal.

Measures Taken by the International Bureau of WIPO (IB)

The IB has announced that the pandemic counts as a “natural calamity … or other like reason”, within the meaning of Rule 82quater.1 PCT, such that retrospective extensions of missed PCT time limits (which may relate to the submission of documents and/or the payment of fees during the international phase of a PCT application) may be available under that Rule.

The IB has indicated that requests to extend a PCT time limit under that Rule will be treated favourably where COVID-19 is cited, and the IB will not require the applicant to provide evidence that the virus affected the locality in which the interested party resides.

The IB points out that the Rule cannot be used to extend a time limit after a PCT application has already been declared withdrawn. To help with this, the IB in its capacity as Receiving Office is going to delay issuing notifications that a PCT application is withdrawn (Form PCT/RO/117) until 31 May 2020 and has urged all other PCT receiving Offices to adopt the same practice.

Please note that Rule 82quater.1 PCT does not apply to the priority period or the time limit for entering the national phase.

The IB has made similar provisions in relation to Hague (International) Designs – failure to meet a time limit of the IB (as governed by Rule 5 of the Common Regulations) in relation to correction of irregularities will be excused if the user cites COVID-19 as the reason, without need to show evidence. This also applies to deadlines for payment of fees, except where a second part fee is payable under Rule 5(5) of the Common Regulations. Users are reminded that they have six months to apply for this relief from the date of expiry of the time limit concerned.

As of 29 April 2020, a different approach is being applied by the IB for users of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Trade Marks (though it is possible that this will be changed soon). The current position is that users of the system who have failed to meet a deadline as a result of its inability to access electronic communication or mail and delivery services due to COVID-19 may be excused from failure to meet a time limit for communication with WIPO, but only if they send the missed communication within 5 days after regaining access to electronic communication or mail and delivery services, and in any event no later than 6 months after the time limit has expired. Evidence will need to be provided to support the request for failure to be excused. However, users also have recourse to request continued processing by WIPO in relation deadlines to correct specified irregularities (e.g. to an International Application or subsequent designation, to request recording of changes to the International Registration), to pay fees for an International Application, pay the second part of an individual fee for a national designation, or to request that an International Registration continues to have effect in a successor State and pay fees for same. This is done by filing a WIPO Form MM20 within 2 months of expiry of the relevant time limit, and paying a CHF 200 fee.

Deadlines of the IP Offices for designated countries in an International Trade Mark Registration will be automatically extended in circumstances where the IP Office is closed, or where the IP Office is question has granted further flexibility or remedies in relation to deadlines due.

Measures Taken by Other Intellectual Property Offices

The IP attorney membership organisation FICPI has produced a guide on changes to deadlines and arrangements for national, regional and international IP offices as a consequence of coronavirus. Here you will find a regularly updated spreadsheet (see here) of information updated frequently by members of FICPI's global community.

The situation is of course evolving on a daily basis and it is expected that further announcements will be made by the EPO, EUIPO and UK IPO. If you have any questions regarding impact of the coronavirus outbreak on a specific matter, please speak to your usual J A Kemp contact.