IPO Transformation: Second consultation
The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is seeking views on a package of changes to improve their digital services
The IPO's Transformation programme is designed to modernise and improve the IPO's services. By the end of 2025, it aims to replace the IPO's existing processes with a digital system for all registered IP rights (patents, trade marks and designs).
In 2022, the IPO ran a first public consultation, which mainly focused on changes related the launch of the new digital patents service in 2024. The government response to that consultation was published on 1 August 2023. This will inform some of the potential legal and practice changes to enable transformation and the build of the service.
A second consultation is now necessary to inform and support the next phase of the programme, which is chiefly concerned with trade marks, designs and IPO tribunal services.
This consultation sets out changes which the government considers may be needed in the following areas:
- online public document inspection service for trade marks and designs
- rules governing public inspection of trade marks and designs documents and requests for confidentiality
- series trade marks
- length of supplementary protection certificate fee payment periods
- collection and publication of addresses for patent inventors
- ways to encourage more mediation during IPO tribunal proceedings
The IPO seeks responses to the questions set out in the consultation document.
The deadline for responses is Tuesday 31 October 2023.
You can respond online or by email to TransformationConsultation@ipo.gov.uk.
First published 3 October 2023