PATENT EXAMINATION GUIDE-LINES UNDER AMENDMENT

09/01/2004

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In response to the entry into force of the amended Patent Act on 1 July 2004, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is currently preparing amendments to its Patent Examination Guide-lines. To date, amended versions of the follow-ing sections of the Guidelines have been an-nounced and taken effect:

Part 2, Substantive Examination of Invention Patents, Chapters 1–4, announced on 28 June 2004.

Part 4 Chapter 1, Formality Examination of New Utility Model Patents, announced on 13 July 2004.

The IPO has already completed draft revisions of Chapters 5 to 8 of Part 2 of the Guidelines (Substantive Examination of Invention Patents), and hold public hearings to solicit opinion and suggestions from stakeholders. The above sec-tions of the Guidelines are as follows: Section 5, Priority claim; Section 6, Amendments and Corrections to Patent Specifications and Draw-ings; Section 7, Special Applications, and Sec-tion 8, Patent Term Extension. Lee and Li will closely follow the progress of the amendments to the Guidelines, and report on major develop-ments as they occur.