UK IP Bill ready for Royal Assent

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UK IP Bill ready for Royal Assent

A bill to reform the rules on unregistered designs in the UK and prepare the way for the ratification of the Unified Patent Court has passed the House of Lords

The Intellectual Property Bill now needs only the Royal Assent to become law.

Members of the House of Lords agreed to a series of government amendments to the bill last week without a vote.

Some of the amendments were designed to clarify the new criminal sanction for intentionally copying a UK or EU-registered design without consent – an issue that had provoked concern from IP owners and users.

The full text of the bill is available online.

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