IP analysis: The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) determines issues concerning the admissibility and relevance of trial witness evidence in an action relating to breach of contract, trade mark infringement and patent infringement. The judgment discusses key legal principles in the application of the exceptions to the without prejudice rule and looks at the court’s approach to complex interim hearings within the context of the IPEC. The court granted an application to strike out parts of trial witness evidence that were protected by the without prejudice rule. This decision highlights that the burden to establish whether an exception to the without prejudice rule applies falls on the party seeking to rely on an exception and emphasises the narrow scope of such exceptions. It also serves as a reminder of the underlying purpose of the IPEC, and the cost-benefit test that is applied to evidence and interim applications. The trial is scheduled to be heard in June. Written by Luke Maunder, associate director and Anna Baines, associate at Osborne Clarke LLP.

International Property Measurement Standard 2. Used for measuring the interior boundary area of a Building. It is similar to Gross Internal Area.

International Property Measurement Standard 3. Used for measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use.

Initial public offering—the first issue of debt or equity securities by an issuer

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has amended the Trade Marks (International Registration) Order 2008 to allow partial replacement of UK trade marks with international registrations under the Madrid System. This change, which came into force on 21 November 2024, permits replacement even when the international registration covers fewer goods and services than the domestic registration. The amendment ensures UK compliance with Madrid Protocol obligations ahead of the February 2025 deadline and aligns UK practice with updated international requirements.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to continue their cooperation on intellectual property (IP) matters. The MoU enables collaboration across IP finance, commercialisation, awareness, examination and emerging technologies. It was signed on 6 August 2025 and will remain in effect for three years.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has announced fee increases for patents, trade marks and designs, effective from 1 April 2026 and subject to parliamentary approval. Fees are set to increase by an average of 25%, with patent searches rising from £150 to £200 and trade mark applications from £170 to £205. The IPO noted that fees have not increased since 2018 for patents, 2016 for designs and 1998 for trade marks. The proposed increases aim to address a 32% rise in inflation since 2016, as well as anticipated future cost pressures that cannot be offset through efficiency savings or reserve funds. The IPO will publish full guidance in early 2026 for customers whose fees may be due around the time of the planned changes.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has announced the first patent application successfully filed on the new fully digital ‘One IPO’ patents service. Since 2021, the IPO has been transforming the services it offers through the One IPO Transformation Programme, which aims to provide a single, integrated service for managing all UK IP rights. The new patents service is due to launch to the public in the first half of 2025, followed by a new service for trade marks, designs and IPO tribunals launching in 2026. Improvements include the possibility to view, manage and update one's portfolio of UK patents online and a more fluid patent applications that allow customers to submit information in manageable chunks and in the order that suits them. The IPO has also started to use artificial intelligence (AI) internally, with a new AI allocation tool, which automatically sends patents to IPO examiners. The allocation tool improves efficiency, instantly completing a task that previously took 14 days.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has published its response on 10 April 2025 to its transformation programme consultation, announcing six significant changes to intellectual property services. Key changes include introducing online file inspection for trade marks and designs, removing the series trade marks service, extending Supplementary Protection Certificate payment periods to 6 months, and reducing inventor address details collected. The changes aim to modernise IPO services and align with international practices. Implementation will occur through legislative and practice changes, with existing series mark registrations remaining valid.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has announced a major review of the Manual of Patent Practice (MOPP) following the launch of the One IPO patent service. The MOPP sets out IPO's practice under the Patents Act 1977 (PA 1977) and recites provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988) relating to patents. The IPO has indicated that further updates will be incorporated over the coming months and that statements contained in the manual do not constitute authority for any IPO action.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has confirmed the appointment of Kanishka Narayan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with responsibility for intellectual property. IPO Chief Executive Adam Williams welcomed the appointment, noting the minister's role in supporting the UK's intellectual property system and its contribution to economic growth through protection and commercialisation of innovations.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) has become a partner of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Green advisory board, on 16 July 2024. WIPO Green is an online platform which supports global efforts to address climate change. The platform connects providers and seekers of environmentally friendly technologies to accelerate green innovation. The partnership agreement was signed by Sarah Roberts-Favell, Deputy Director of International Policy, and WIPO’s Assistant Director General Edward Kwakwa during WIPO’s 65th General Assemblies.