27/05/2016
What do the Seychelles, Fiji and Bermuda all have in common?
As well as being excellent holiday destinations, it may be possible to extend a UK patent to all of these countries.
A UK patent automatically covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as you would imagine. Additionally, a UK patent automatically extends to the Isle of Man. Perhaps surprisingly, it is also possible to extend a UK patent to a number of other jurisdictions including those listed below.
| Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Brunei Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Fiji Gibraltar Grenada |
Guernsey Guyana Jersey Kiribati Montserrat Nauru Saint Helena and Dependencies Saint Lucia |
Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Vanuatu |
It is also possible to extend a patent granted by the EPO and validated in the UK (EP(UK)) to some of these countries.
To extend a UK patent to these additional jurisdictions, re-registration is required. This generally involves meeting certain formal requirements and paying a fee. Often there is a deadline, typically three years after grant, but this varies from country to country. Generally, re-registration is a straightforward and relatively inexpensive process.
The potential extra territorial coverage of a UK patent makes pursuing a UK patent that little bit more attractive, particularly if you have a commercial interest in the countries to which a UK patent may potentially extend.
If you are interested in pursuing protection in any of the countries mentioned above or would like to explore the possibility of extending an existing UK patent, then please contact us.
This information is based on information provided by the UKIPO together with information provided by local attorneys.
This article is for general information only. Its content is not a statement of the law on any subject and does not constitute advice. Please contact Reddie & Grose LLP for advice before taking any action in reliance on it.
