Both courts and IP registries are making some procedural adjustments to ease the burden for users and staff and to comply with Government advice on safety during the Coronavirus emergency. In the courts telephone and video hearings are now the default option, and we can expect more flexibility on time limits, while the intellectual property registries are also relaxing time limits to some extent.
UK Intellectual Property Office – requests for extension of time will be considered as favourably as possible and rights lost through failure to meet a deadline may be reinstated in some circumstances. Hearings are being carried out by telephone, Skype or other virtual methods and users are asked to use the online services and avoid filing work in person. Read more
European Patent Office – oral proceedings may be postponed or carried out by video conference and time limits have been extended. Read more
EU Intellectual Property Office – the EUIPO, which is situated in Spain, has extended a wide range of time limits. For further details Read more
Tom Lingard