Proposed changes in patent practice and procedure

The consultation paper sets out proposals for radical change in the Patent Office’s practice in handling certain aspects of the search and examination of patent applications. The reason for these proposals is to make the search and examination process more efficient, and hence to enable the Office to provide its customers with high quality searches and examinations more promptly.

The consultation is directed at anyone interested in the operation of the patent system in the United Kingdom, but especially from those who have been, are, or expect to be users of the system.