Information relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

26.03.2020

Due dates and delays during the outbreak



Information relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

France
Ordinance <link https: www.legifrance.gouv.fr external-link-new-window internal link in current>2020-306 dated 25/03/2020
Extension of due dates before the French patent and trademark office (INPI)
Any due date falling due between March 12, 2020 and one month after the official end of sanitary state of emergency will be extended to:
- two months after the official end of sanitary state of emergency if the initial delay for the due date was one month and
- three months after the official end of sanitary state of emergency if the initial delay for the due date was two months or more.

Example:
Considering the official end of sanitary state of emergency is April 28, 2020 (yet to be confirmed)
Any due date with an official delay of one month expiring between March 12, 2020 and April 28, 2020 is extended to June 28, 2020.
Any due date with an official delay of two month expiring between March 12, 2020 and April 28, 2020 is extended to July 28, 2020.

This applies to due dates for filing an opposition to a French trademark, paying a renewal fee for a French patent, renew a French trademark, renew a French design, filing an appeal, filing third party observations, filing a reply to an office action.

This however does not apply to the priority period to file an application in France benefiting from an earliest priority date, to the due date to pay official filing fees for a French patent or to file a supplementary protection certificate.

EPO:
See official information <link https: www.epo.org news-issues covid-19.html external-link-new-window internal link in current>page from EPO
All time limits expiring on or after 15 March 2020 are thus extended until 17 April 2020. As regards time limits expiring before 15 March 2020, the EPO has facilitated the use of legal remedies for users located in areas directly affected by disruptions due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

EUIPO
See official informatio <link https: euipo.europa.eu ohimportal fr news action view external-link-new-window internal link in current>page from EUIPO
All time limits expiring between 9 March 2020 and 30 April 2020 are extended to May 4, 2020We are working remotely but can be contacted by email, by phone at +33 9 70 19 34 07 or through our <link https: www.chaillot.fr chat index.php external-link-new-window internal link in current>chat