The Federal Republic of Germany
Governments around the world have implemented a wide range of protocols to control the spread of COVID-19 throughout their jurisdictions. The various intellectual property offices have recognised this is an unprecedented situation that may have an impact on the ability of right holders, applicants, opponents and their representatives to meet deadlines associated with their intellectual property rights.
●March 25 Source: infojustice.org
Already on 18 March, the German constitutional court issued a statement to this effect. In Karlsruhe, oral hearings are postponed until April.
The German Patent and Trademark Office is allowing trade mark clerks to work remotely from home if possible in a bid to maintain operations.
A statement issued on 18 March the German Patent and Trademark Office confirmed that all deadlines already granted in pending proceedings will be automatically extended until 4 May 2020. The office will try to take the current situation into account within the framework of legal possibilities open to it when conducting the proceedings for the protection of intellectual property rights. This, it said, applies in particular to the approval of requests for the extension of time limits set by the office.
However, the German Patent and Trademark Office said that it cannot extend legally specified time limits.
German Patent and Trademark Office
●Web.: www.dpma.de
●Tel.: (0049) 089 2195 1000
●Email: info@dpma.de
German Patent Information Network
●Web.: www.piznet.de
●Tel.: (0049) 351 4633 2791
●Fax.: (0049) 351 4633 7136
●Email: piz@tu-dresden.de
European Patent Office
●Web.: www.epo.org
●Tel.: (0049) 89 2399 4500
European Union Intellectual Property Office
●Web.: euipo.europa.eu
●Tel.: (0034) 965 139 100