European IP and Brexit

The European landscape is evolving. Williams Powell will continue to offer first class European IP services to meets its clients business needs.

Brexit - EU Trade Marks and Designs

Brexit will impact EU Trade Mark and design applications.

Williams Powell has offices in the UK and Germany and will continue to be able to assist you in obtaining both UK and EU Trade Marks and Designs.

After the end of the Brexit transition period, there is to be a re-registration scheme to ensure that existing EU rights continue to have effect in the UK.

What will happen to granted EU rights?

The EU right will no longer cover the UK
The UK government will automatically create a parallel UK right
This will cost you nothing
You do not need to take any action

What will happen to pending EU rights?

If you file an additional application in the meantime and application is pending at the end of the transition period, the position is this:

The EU application will no longer cover the UK
A corresponding UK application filed within 9 months of the end of the transition period will take the same dates as the EU application
For cases in our care, we will let you know the deadline for filing the application when it is set
You can then decide whether or not to file in the UK
This will cost the same as filing an ordinary UK application

More details can be found here .

Brexit - Patents in the EU

The European Patent Office has always been outside of EU jurisdiction. Withdrawal of the UK from the EU has no effect on European Patents or on our ability to file, prosecute and oppose European patent applications. More details can be found here.

Williams Powell are regulated by IPREG whose code of conduct can be found here.

These pages aim to provide a source of information for both non-professional enquirers e.g. inventors and their companies in the U.K. and professional consultants and advisers throughout the rest of the world. The pages are not intended to provide legal advice, which will only be provided on direct application to us in the formal context of a client/attorney relationship.

The information provided is correct to the best of our knowledge and belief, but is provided without obligation or guarantee. It will be updated from time to time as needed.