News - December 2025
- EPO launches new tools on fee support measures
- Filing of large sequence listings
- Public Notice: Gazette Notification of Draft Amendments to the Patents Rules, 2003
- Colour and greyscale drawings accepted if submitted electronically
- Public Notice: Gazette Notification of Draft Amendments to the Trade Marks Rules, 2017
- Patent protection of biological genetic resources based on deep learning and artificial intelligence
- 100 Years of WIPO’s International Design System: Celebrating Iconic Designs for the Ages
- Only a few weeks left until the discontinuation of the Online Filing (eOLF) software - switch to the web-based Online Filing 2.0 now!-
1 EPO launches new tools on fee support measures
To make the patent system more accessible to applicants, especially those who are smaller or new to the system, a new Fee Assistant makes it clearer what fees will be due at the first stages of the patent granting process at the European Patent Office (EPO). This tool also reminds applicants which fee reductions they may be eligible for. Meanwhile, the fee support scheme insights reveal how much money applicants are already saving as result of the EPO’s fee reduction schemes.
The Fee Assistant: another key tool supporting smaller applicants
The EPO is increasing its support to smaller users and new applicants by helping them better plan the costs for their patent applications Launched today, a new online assistant explains the fees due at the first stages of the EPO’s patent granting process and includes information on the EPO’s different fee…
Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/epo-launches-new-tools-fee-support-measures
2 Filing of large sequence listings
A revised decision and an accompanying notice explain how users should file large sequence listings, including on physical data carriers if necessary. As part of the ongoing digital transformation of the European patent grant procedure, the President’s decision on the filing of sequence listings has been updated, with a view to clarifying the procedure and reassuring applicants. For some patent applications in the field of biotechnology, the associated sequence listings may be so large as to exceed the normal upload limits for filing electronically. Therefore, physical data carriers for such sequence listings, although rarely used, are still permitted despite the decommissioning of Online Filing (OLF) at the end of 2025 in favour of OLF2.0. Accordingly, users may exceptionally continue to use accepted data carriers if the XML sequence listing, filed
Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/filing-large-sequence-listings
3 Public Notice: Gazette Notification of Draft Amendments to the Patents Rules, 2003
The following draft rules to further amend the Patents Rules, 2003 which the Central Government proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 159 of the Patents Act, 1970, are hereby published for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby, and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules will be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette of India, in which this notification is published, are made available to the public…
4 Colour and greyscale drawings accepted if submitted electronically
On 1 October 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) implemented end-to-end support for colour and greyscale drawings. If filed electronically, colour and greyscale drawings will retain their characteristics throughout the entire digital patent granting process (PGP) and are no longer converted into black and white. This feature enables users to present complex technical information more clearly, enhances how that information is displayed, and supports the EPO's commitment to delivering high-quality products and services as we move towards a fully digitalised and more user-friendly PGP…
Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/colour-and-greyscale-drawings-accepted-if-submitted-electronically
5 Public Notice: Gazette Notification of Draft Amendments to the Trade Marks Rules, 2017
The following draft rules to further amend the Trade Marks Rules, 2017 which the Central Government proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 157 of the Trade Marks Act, 2017, are hereby published for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby, and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules will be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette of India, in which this notification is published, are made available to the public…
6 Patent protection of biological genetic resources based on deep learning and artificial intelligence
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning has provided new ideas for the patent protection of biological genetic resources in the field of intellectual property. This paper aims to explore the application of deep learning technology driven by artificial intelligence in the patent protection of biological genetic resources. By analyzing the advantages of deep learning models in extracting patent texts and technical features, the paper proposes a technical approach to optimize the patent protection of biological genetic resources. This paper constructs and optimizes a deep learning-based Recurrent Convolutional Neural Network (RCNN) model. It combines natural language processing techniques and image recognition algorithms to efficiently extract and analyze patent texts and technical features…
Source URL:- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41271825/
7 100 Years of WIPO’s International Design System: Celebrating Iconic Designs for the Ages
The Hague, Netherlands, November 6, 2025 PR/2025/942: The World Intellectual Property Organization today marked the 100th anniversary of its international design system, celebrating a century of iconic designs that combine utility and beauty. From artisanal crafts and high fashion to household appliances and furniture, designers from around the world elevate daily items into beloved products with a distinctive look and feel that catch our eye and delight our senses.
Named for the city where it was established by treaty in 1925, WIPO’s Hague System uses a single…
Source URL:- https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2025/article_0011.html
8 Only a few weeks left until the discontinuation of the Online Filing (eOLF) software - switch to the web-based Online Filing 2.0 now!-
With the phase-out of the legacy eOLF tool at the end of December, users are reminded to finalise their transition to Online Filing 2.0 – the secure, web-based platform for filing patent applications and procedural requests. In line with its Strategic Plan 2028, the European Patent Office (EPO) continues to modernise its online services with the aim of delivering a fully digitalised patent granting process by 2027 . As part of this effort, several legacy tools have been replaced in recent years by more efficient, user-friendly solutions based on modern technologies.
The next step will be the decommissioning of the desktop-based Online.