United Kingdom: The Intellectual Property (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

September 28, 2020

United Kingdom: The Intellectual Property (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 was issued pursuant to paragraphs 1(1) and 12(1) of Schedule 7 to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2018.

The Regulations entered into force on September 28, 2020; except Parts 7 and 8 on the amendments to Patents Act 1977 and Regulation EC No. 469/2009, respectively, which come into force on December 31, 2020 (referred to as "Implementation Period completion day" or "IP completion day", the final day of the 11-month period from January 31, 2020 during which the United Kingdom continues to be subject to European Union rules).

These Regulations introduce amendments to the following legislation:

(i) The Intellectual Property (Exhaustion of Rights) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/265);

(ii) The Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/269) ("the Trade Marks Regulations");

(iii) The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605) ("the Copyright Regulations");

(iv) The Designs and International Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/638) ("the Designs Regulations");

(v) The Patents (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/801) ("the Patents Regulations");

(vi) The Patents Act 1977 and The Patents Rules 2007; and

(vii) The Regulation (EC) No. 469/2009 and Regulation (EU) 2019/933.

The United Kingdom has issued an accompanying Explanatory Memorandum detailing various points covered by The Intellectual Property (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.