The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently extended their existing examination acceleration programme for patents, SG IP Fast Track Programme, for another 2 years from 30 April 2022 until 30 April 2024, to give enterprises a competitive advantage as Singapore and the world reopen from the Covid-19 pandemic. Concurrently, however, IPOS has terminated the 12 months File-to-Grant Programme (“12 MG Programme”), another examination acceleration programme of IPOS, starting from 30 April 2022.
Background
On 1 August 2014, IPOS established the 12 MG Programme to offer patent applicants an option to accelerate the grant of patent within 12 months from the filing of the patent application. On 1 May 2020, IPOS launched another examination acceleration programme, SG Patent Fast Track Programme, to expedite the granting of patents in all technology fields provided that the applications are first filed in Singapore (without any priority claim). On 1 September 2020, IPOS then renamed the SG Patent Fast Track Programme as SG IP Fast Track Programme and expanded the programme to include related trademark and registered design applications. Read more