TIPS^®  Taiwan Intellectual Property Special

Significant Increases of Patent Official Fees

In compliance of the newly amended patent law, effective as of January 1, 2002, the major official fees and items are adjusted as highlighted following:

A. Filing Fees: Total cost is up 71.4% ~ 157%

(1) Applications filed before October 26, 2002: US$200.00, including initial filing and substantial examination. (71.4% up)

(2) Application filed on or after October 26, 2002: The total expenses for filing fees, including initial filing US$67.00, applying for early laid-open US$33.00 and substantial examination US$200.00, may be as high as US$300.00 (157% up)

B. Substantial examination fees will be increased on the basis of the total pages of the specification:

(1) For application with 50 pages or less of the specification including drawings is US$200.00.

(2) An additional US$17.00 is added to every 50 pages of the thick specifications including drawings.

C. Annuity: Accumulative cost is up 38.9% ~ 173.8%.

(1) US$84.00 for the first to the third year and will be doubled every 3 years thereafter.

(2) The comparison of accumulative annuity cost is listed as the enclosure.

Thus, we vigorously recommend that clients immediately take the following measures:

(1) Filing by December 31, 2001 for those cases that are surely to be protected in Taiwan.

(2) Paying annuity in advance by December 31, 2001 for those important patent portfolios.