Legal Resources

It may be useful to keep in the background the following legal sources (although don’t try to read them all yet!). Remember that patents are territorial: different laws apply for different jurisdictions.

• UK:
  • Patents Act 1977 – http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patentsact1977.pdf.
  • Patent Rules 2007 – http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patentrules2007.pdf.
  • Manual of Patent Practice (MOPP) – http://www.ipo.gov.uk/pro-types/pro-patent/p-law/p-manual/p-manual-practice.htm.
• Europe:
  • European Patent Convention (Articles) – http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2010/e/ma1.html.
  • European Patent Convention (Implementing Regulations) – http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2010/e/ma2.html.
  • Guidelines for Examination – http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/guidelines.html.
• International:
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty – http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/articles/atoc.htm.
  • Regulations under the PCT – http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/rules/rtoc1.htm.
  • Administrative Instructions – http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/ai/ai_index.html.
  • Applicant’s Guide – http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/appguide/index.jsp.