The BREXIT Transition Period Ends December 31, 2020: What Does That Mean For Your IP Rights
Here’s a link to a valuable article discussing what the end of the BREXIT transition period may mean for IP rights:
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=eafc0270-9638-4504-b0b5-3fa091262b59
Copyright Office Announces Launch of New Records Search Portal With Enhanced Search Capabilities And Improved Interfaces
Anyone who has attempted to locate copyright records using the search functions on the Copyright Office website undoubtedly has experienced frustration from the lack of functionality of the Copyright Office search functions. Help may be on the way. On December 15, 2020, the Copyright Office announced the launch of a new records search portal with enhanced search capabilities and improved interfaces. With these enhancements, users should have any easier time finding the records they need.
Here’s the Copyright Office news release:
 Copyright Office Launches Copyright Public Records System Pilot NewsNet 865 December 15, 2020 Today, the U.S. Copyright Office launched a new Copyright Public Records System (CPRS) pilot to the public. The new portal will provide access to the same copyright records for both registration and recordation data that exist in the Copyright Public Catalog but with enhanced search capabilities and improved interfaces for internal and external users. With these enhancements, users should have an easier time finding the exact records they need. The CPRS pilot is also the second Enterprise Copyright System module to launch. While the first module, the electronic recordation system pilot, was released to a limited external audience, the CPRS pilot is available to the entire public. The public can access the new CPRS pilot at publicrecords.copyright.gov and provide feedback on their experience using the feedback link at the bottom of the page. For any questions or other comments, please email publicrecords@copyright.gov. The pilot is designed to run concurrently with the Copyright Public Catalog—available at cocatalog.loc.gov. During the pilot, the Copyright Public Catalog will remain the official source of authoritative records. The CPRS pilot will continue to evolve after the public release. Developers and Copyright Office staff are working on including the ability to download and print search results and the ability for users to see their recent searches and records. While the current CPRS pilot contains records from 1978 through the present, the Office is considering migrating other public records to the CPRS. To learn more about the CPRS, watch the June 2020 copyright modernization webinar on the Copyright Office website or YouTube channel. The CPRS is also accompanied by a tutorial to assist new users. |
Advisory: Register Your Trademarks By The End Of The Year – Trademark Office Fees Are Increasing Effective January 2, 2021
If you have any trademark registrations or other trademark filings that are pending, you will want to file the registration application or other filing by the end of 2020 since the Trademark Office filing fees are increasing significantly effective January 2, 2021.
Some of the fee increases will be the following (from the Trademark Office website):
Application and application-related fees:
- TEAS Standard Application: $350 per class
Up from $275 per class - TEAS Plus Application: $250 per class
Up from $225 per class - Processing fee for failing to meet TEAS Plus requirements: $100 per class
Down from $125 per class
Post Registration Fees:
- Section 8 or 71 declaration filed through TEAS: $225 per class
Up from $125 per class - New fee for deleting goods, services, and/or classes from a registration after submitting a section 8 or 71 declaration, but before the declaration is accepted: $250 per class if filed through TEAS
- There will be no fee if you electronically file a section 7 request to amend your registration before submitting a section 8 or 71 declaration and only delete goods, services, and/or classes in the request (otherwise, the current fee for filing a section 7 request through TEAS is $100).
Petition to the Director and Letter of Protest Fees:
- Petition to the Director filed through TEAS: $250
Up from $100 - Petition to revive an abandoned application filed through TEAS: $150
Up from $100 - New fee for letter of protest: $50 per application
TTAB Fees:
- Petition to cancel filed through ESTTA: $600 per class
Up from $400 per class - Notice of opposition filed through ESTTA: $600 per class
Up from $400 per class - Initial 90-day extension requests for filing a notice of opposition, or second 60-day extension requests for filing a notice of opposition, filed through ESTTA: $200 per application
Up from $100 per application - There is still no fee for a first 30-day extension request for filing a notice of opposition, filed through ESTTA.
- Final 60-day extension request for filing a notice of opposition, filed through ESTTA: $400 per application
Up from $200 per application - Ex parte appeal filed through ESTTA: $225 per class
Up from $200 per class - New fee for second, and subsequent, requests for an extension of time to file an appeal brief in an ex parte appeal filed through ESTTA: $100 per application (there is still no fee for a first request).
- New fee for appeal briefs in an ex parte appeal filed through ESTTA: $200 per class
- New fee for requests for oral hearings: $500 per proceeding
Insights 