Transparency data

Business impact target: non-qualifying regulatory proposals: 8 May 2015 - 8 June 2017

Updated 20 December 2021

1. Legislative and non-legislative non-qualifying regulatory provisions that have come into force (8 May 2015 - 8 June 2017)

(Not yet validated)

Excluded category	Summary of measure(s)
A - EU and international	We implemented the following EU Regulations: European Regulation of Trade Mark Regulations 2016 – To update out of date references to the relevant EU legislation in the Trade Marks Act 1994 and in the Community Trade Mark Regulations 2006. For instance, to replace references to the European Economic Community (ECC) with the European Union (EU). Section 72 of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act - To amend section 72 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act in line with EU legislation. The Collective Management of Copyright (EU Directive) Regulations 2016 – The EU passed the Collective Rights Management (CRM) Directive in 2014 and the UK was obliged to transpose it by 10 April 2016. As part of this process the IPO: 1. Prepared a guidance document and instituted a complaints procedure. 2. Made consequential changes to the Extended Collective Licensing (ECL) Regulations 2014 no. 2588 to reflect more detailed requirements on collecting societies, as well as updating guidance on Extended Collective Licensing, which was altered because of the Directive. 3. Repealed the Copyright (Regulation of Relevant Licensing Bodies) Regulations 2014 No. 898 in order to implement the CRM Directive with the maximum certainty for collecting societies, right holders and licensees. Repeal of s.52 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 – to update UK legislation in line with EU law. Repeal s.52 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 with appropriate transitional period, removing an exception reducing the copyright term for industrially manufactured artistic work.
B – Economic Regulation	N/A
C – Price Control	N/A
D - Civil Emergencies	N/A
E – Fines and Penalties	N/A
F – Pro-Competition	N/A
G – Large Infrastructure projects	N/A
H – Misuse of Drugs/National Minimum Wage	N/A
I – Systemic Financial Risk	N/A
K – Industry Codes	N/A
L1 – Casework	We dealt with the following number of applications during the reporting period: patents 42,774 trade marks 115,078 designs 19,514
L2 – Education, communications and promotion	From May 2015, through to the end of the 2016/17 financial year, we have spoken with 92,072 businesses regarding Intellectual Property (IP), through a range of seminars, workshops or business exhibitions. We have also delivered intensive IP training to 492 businesses or business advisors during this period and facilitated IP audits for 671 businesses. In addition to this, our network of Patent Libraries have provided advice to 22,039 individuals and 15,779 people have used our suite of online tools for businesses to help them better use their IP. Through our ongoing engagement with business advisors, and their ability to share their IP knowledge with their clients, plus the channels outlined above, we calculate that we have been able to engage with over 310,000 businesses and provide them with IP advice, since May 2015. In addition, we published information to promote awareness with users of how we prioritise re-examination of patent applications. We also published information and education material for users concerning a package of changes to the Patents Rules. These Rules changes came into force on 1 October 2016 and 6 April 2017, and were themselves impacted fully. Finally, the orphan works licensing scheme is a permissive application process for copyright works where the right holder is unknown or cannot be found. Information has been published over the BIT period to encourage applicants, explaining the difference between commercial and non-commercial licences (August 2016) and the benefits of applying for a museum digitisation project in a case study format (November 2015).
L3 - Activity related to policy development	We issued 14 consultations and 2 calls for views, for example: We conducted a consultation about proposed changes to the Patents Rules and issued a government response. We consulted a user representative group about the development of a new international standard for reporting of patent legal status information by intellectual property offices. We consulted a user representative group on changes to how and when we issue certain reminder letters concerning patent applications. In addition, we published a twelve month review on the operation of the orphan works licencing scheme (November 2015), as per the government commitment when the underpinning legislation was debated.
L4 – Changes to management of regulator	N/A