Changes to Singapore’s Patent Practice

The Singapore Parliament has recently passed the Patents (Amendment) Bill which aims to fundamentally change Singapore’s patent practice. These changes, expected to come into effect later in 2012, aim to solidify the country’s IP regime, expand its IP capabilities and help develop and promote Singapore as an IP hub for Asia. The following summarises the main changes.

Move From “Self-Assessment” Patent System to New “Positive Grant” System

The most significant amendment involves the replacement of the current “self-assessment” system with a new “positive grant” system. Under the current “self-assessment”, an applicant is under no obligation to amend his application at ...