Qatar Announces New Innovation and IP Support Initiative
The Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at supporting innovators, inventors, and rights holders.
French Patent Filings Rise Significantly in 2025
The French Intellectual Property Office (INPI) received just over 16,800 French patent applications in 2025, representing a remarkable increase of 8.7% compared with 2024.
Game Plan Interrupted: A Lesson in Assignment of Trademark Rights
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently affirmed a final decision of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) cancelling Game Plan, Inc.'s registration for its stylized mark I AM MORE THAN AN ATHLETE. GP GAME PLAN and dismissing Game Plan's opposition to Uninterrupted IP, LLC's six intent-to-use applications for marks containing "I AM MORE THAN AN ATHLETE" and "MORE THAN AN ATHLETE."
Another Example of the Peril of Functional Language in Patent Claims
Patent practitioners have long relied on functional language such as "configured to," "adapted to," and "capable of," as a strategy for broadening claim scope by using such terms to capture a structural range of elements that can perform a function rather than one specific configuration. However, this tactic comes with risks of unintended judicial interpretation when such terms are not used with a clear structural foundation. A recent nonprecedential decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit)—Blue Buffalo—serves as a reminder that when functional terms are used without precise intent, this strategy can backfire.
EPO & IEA Renew Partnership
The European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have renewed their partnership, continuing efforts to combine the EPO's patent intelligence with the IEA's energy data to monitor innovation trends shaping the global energy transition.
Courtesy Ceremonial Copies of eGrants
On April 18, 2023, the USPTO transitioned to electronic patent grants ("eGrants") but continued to automatically provide courtesy ceremonial copies of newly issued patents to patentees. The eGrant is the official statutory patent grant; the ceremonial copy is a commemorative item only.
European SMEs Can Access Up to €7,320 for IP Filings
On February 2, 2026, the European Commission, in cooperation with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), launched the 2026 SME Fund. This grant initiative enables eligible small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union and Ukraine to receive partial reimbursement of some official intellectual property fees.
PCT Patent Prosecution Highway (PCT-PPH) Pilots: IP5 PPH Pilot Program Extended to 2029
Following a joint decision by the IP5, the five largest intellectual property offices (CNIPA, EPO, JPO, MOIP (former KIPO), and USPTO), the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program has been extended for an additional three-year period, from January 6, 2026, to January 5, 2029.
Saudi Arabia Sees Growth in Patent Applications in 2025
Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant rise in patent applications filed by both individuals and national institutions in 2025. On January 22, 2026, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), reported that individual patent filings increased sharply from 2,007 in 2024 to 3,942 in 2025, marking a 96% increase in applications.
EPO Fee Increase Takes Effect April 1, 2026
The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced official fee increases effective April 1, 2026. Most fees will rise by approximately 5%, although filing, opposition, and appeal fees remain unchanged.
