Among the measures announced on Monday were the introduction of a 90-day patent processing service and a trade mark examinations service that would deliver a full examination report in five days. Cable said these services were designed to keep the UK IPO ahead of other national offices.
But the fees for the new services have not yet been set. Responding to a question from Managing IP, UK IPO acting head Sean Dennehey said they would be “premium services for a premium price” and the Office would consult on what is reasonable.
Cable also announced a campaign to educate small businesses on IP and education about the harm of counterfeiting and piracy for young people.
Another proposal will see the City of London Police set up a new unit to focus on “IP crime”.
“Our creativity, our openness to and talent for innovation, is a key pillar of our return to robust growth. So it is right we work to create the environment in which creative, innovative businesses of all shapes and sizes flourish. A vital part of getting this is making sure that the intellectual property landscape encourages and cements success and growth. The new vision for how we support businesses and consumers is central to achieving this,” said Cable.
The new plans were launched at an event held at the Big Innovation Centre. However, some rights owners in the audience were sceptical about the funding and implementation of some of the proposals, and how much difference they would make.
Similar concerns have been raised in the press, for example in comments on this report in the Guardian newspaper.
At the launch, Cable also confirmed that the government would publish its proposals on copyright exemptions in the very near future. The proposals, which follow the Hargreaves Report and are highly controversial among copyright owners, are now expected in January.
