IP/N/1/SGP/P/2/Rev.1

Singapore

Patents Rules [History up to 2007 Revised Edition ]

Patents (Amendment) Act 2001 (Date of entry into force: 17 October 2001) - (i) Streamlines patent processes as well as simplifies the Date of Filing requirements - Removed the need for claims in order to get a Date of Filing.; (ii) Introduces a patent agents regulatory regime. Patent (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2002 (Date of entry into force: 15 August 2002) - Allows Singapore patent applicants to rely on the final search and examination results of a corresponding patent application filed with the Patent Office of the Japan, in lieu of filing a search and exam request with IPOS. Patent (Amendment) Rules 2003 (Date of entry into force: 1 August 2003) - Relaxes the translation requirements for non-English priority documents. They need only to be furnished when the validity of the claim to priority is relevant to determining whether the invention concerned is patentable and upon request from the Registrar. Patents (Amendment) Rules 2004 (Date of entry into force: 1 July 2004) - (i) Allows for a patent term to be extended as a result of unreasonable administrative delays that had occured during the patent application process or whilst obtaining marketing approval in the case of a patent (which includes any substance which is an active ingredient of any pharmaceutical product); (ii) Provides for a default fast track timeline for patent applications to proceed to grant quickly, and an optional slow track timeline for patent applications to proceed at a slower pace; (iii) The requirement for furnishing priority documents was relaxed, and now needs to be furnished only when required by the Registrar. Patents (Amendment) Rules 2005 (Date of entry into force: 1 April 2005) - (i) Clarifies certain filing procedures; (ii) Increases the operational efficiency of the Patents registry by allowing flexibility to specify (via Practice Directions) the types of forms that can be filed online. Patents (Amendment) Rules 2006 (Date of entry into force: 2 June 2006) - Allows Singapore patent applicants to rely on the final search and examination results of a corresponding patent application filed with the Patent Office of the Republic of Korea, in lieu of filing a search and exam request with IPOS. Patents (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2006 (Date of entry into force: 1 August 2006) - Provides for PCT applications with a date of filing on or after 1 July 2004 that enter national phase into Singapore, to move into the slow track without having to pay the block extension fees. Patent (Amendment) Rules 2007 (Date of entry into force: 1 February 2007) - Removal of fees for downloading information from patent register and published patent specifications. Patent (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2007 (Date of entry into force: 1 April 2007) - Amends the Patents Act to: (i) Align the Singapore patent system with two significant changes to the Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) to which Singapore is a party, namely incorporation by reference and restoration of right of priority. (ii) Clarify or simplify filing requirements and procedures. (iii) Clarify the provisions on the entitlement of persons to act as patent agents. (iv) Clarify or simplify filing requirements and procedures with regards to, inter alia, priority claims and early national phase entry requirements. (v) Clarify the circumstances in which an individual acting in his capacity as employee of his employer can perform patent agent work without contravening existing legal requirements.