Propose a change

Patents Act 1977

Write the words of this act the way you think they should read. Solon shows your change as a redline against the published text and pins it to that exact text, so it can never be applied to wording you did not see.

Change 1

What to do with it
As published

89A International and national phases of application.

(1) The provisions of the Patent Co-operation Treaty relating to publication, search, examination and amendment, and not those of this Act, apply to an international application for a patent (UK) during the international phase of the application. (2) The international phase of the application means the period from the filing of the application in accordance with the Treaty until the national phase of the application begins. (3) The national phase of the application begins— (a) when the prescribed period expires, provided any necessary translation of the application into English has been filed at the Patent Office and the prescribed fee has been paid by the applicant; or (b) on the applicant expressly requesting the comptroller to proceed earlier with the national phase of the application, filing at the Patent Office— (i) a copy of the application, if none has yet been sent to the Patent Office in accordance with the Treaty, and (ii) any necessary translation of the application into English, and paying the prescribed fee. For this purpose a “copy of the application” includes a copy published in accordance with the Treaty in a language other than that in which it was originally filed. (4) If the prescribed period expires without the conditions mentioned in subsection (3)(a) being satisfied, the application shall be taken to be withdrawn. (5) Where during the international phase the application is amended in accordance with the Treaty, the amendment shall be treated as made under this Act if— (a) when the prescribed period expires, any necessary translation of the amendment into English has been filed at the Patent Office, or (b) where the applicant expressly requests the comptroller to proceed earlier with the national phase of the application, there is then filed at the Patent Office— (i) a copy of the amendment, if none has yet been sent to the Patent Office in accordance with the Treaty, and (ii) any necessary translation of the amendment into English; otherwise the amendment shall be disregarded. (6) The comptroller shall on payment of the prescribed fee publish any translation filed at the Patent Office under subsection (3) or (5) above.

Your change, as a redline

89A International and national phases of application.

(1) The provisions of the Patent Co-operation Treaty relating to publication, search, examination and amendment, and not those of this Act, apply to an international application for a patent (UK) during the international phase of the application. (2) The international phase of the application means the period from the filing of the application in accordance with the Treaty until the national phase of the application begins. (3) The national phase of the application begins— (a) when the prescribed period expires, provided any necessary translation of the application into English has been filed at the Patent Office and the prescribed fee has been paid by the applicant; or (b) on the applicant expressly requesting the comptroller to proceed earlier with the national phase of the application, filing at the Patent Office— (i) a copy of the application, if none has yet been sent to the Patent Office in accordance with the Treaty, and (ii) any necessary translation of the application into English, and paying the prescribed fee. For this purpose a “copy of the application” includes a copy published in accordance with the Treaty in a language other than that in which it was originally filed. (4) If the prescribed period expires without the conditions mentioned in subsection (3)(a) being satisfied, the application shall be taken to be withdrawn. (5) Where during the international phase the application is amended in accordance with the Treaty, the amendment shall be treated as made under this Act if— (a) when the prescribed period expires, any necessary translation of the amendment into English has been filed at the Patent Office, or (b) where the applicant expressly requests the comptroller to proceed earlier with the national phase of the application, there is then filed at the Patent Office— (i) a copy of the amendment, if none has yet been sent to the Patent Office in accordance with the Treaty, and (ii) any necessary translation of the amendment into English; otherwise the amendment shall be disregarded. (6) The comptroller shall on payment of the prescribed fee publish any translation filed at the Patent Office under subsection (3) or (5) above.

One line that says what changes, such as "Halve the dog tax".

Who it helps, what it costs, what it fixes. It is what persuades people to support it.

A proposal here is not law. Support on Solon is evidence that people want the change; the official route says what it takes to make it law.

Sign in to file your proposal. What you have written stays on this page.

Sign in to file it

Think it through

Ask what your change would do, who would gain and who would bear a cost, and where something like it is already law. The assistant reads your draft as it stands, cites the law and the studies it finds, and takes no side. What you file stays yours.

Questions to start with
Think it through
Legal information from the published text, not advice for your case. Check the sources. Find a law · What the register holds