The UK's Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) has released a helpful 12-page summary entitled The Impact of Brexit on Intellectual Property, which discusses a number of IP topics and the anticipated impact on IP rights and transactions, including:
- EPC, PCT and UK patents
- Community trade marks
- Trade secrets
- Copyright
- IP disputes and IP transactions
It is CIPA's position that IP rights holders should expect "business as usual" in the next few years, since existing UK national IP rights are unaffected, European patents and applications remain unaffected, and the UK Government has not even taken steps to trigger "Article 50" which would put in motion the formal bureaucratic machinery to leave the EU. This step is not expected until late 2016 or early 2017, which means the final exit may not occur until 2019.
Canadian rightsholders who have UK or EU-based IP rights are encouraged to consult IP counsel regarding their IP rights.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
