The Directorate-General of Intellectual Property (“DGIP”) hosted a demonstration of its new e-filing system for trademarks, patents and designs last week.
The session, held on 2 September, was intended to introduce the DGIP’s new e-filing system which is expected to be up and running by the end of this year. Key features of the system include:
- that it is accessible by any user with an approved user account - not necessarily an IP Consultant;
- application data is automatically uploaded to the DGIP’s IPAS database system, thereby reducing administrative burdens and delays; and
- official fees can be paid at one of 25 banks (currently, payment is only possible through BRI which has a branch at the DGIP).
It was also apparent that there is still a lot of work to be done before the system is ready to use, as is to be expected with any new system in its early stages of development. Hopefully the DGIP can devote the resources required to finish this project soon. Introducing electronic filing would be an important step forward, but rolling out a functional database is no doubt a higher priority.