Patent, trademark protection fees to be cut

Singapore

BUSINESSES will pay lower fees when they apply for patent and trademark protection with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) from April 1.

But those seeking to renew their patents and trademarks will have to pay more; the higher fee for trademarks is the first hike in about a decade.

IPOS said in a statement on Wednesday that the higher fee is aimed at discouraging intellectual property (IP) hoarding by businesses.

With the changes, the cost of a request for a patent search and examination report will fall by about a quarter to an estimated S$1,950. The cost of a request for a patent search and examination report established under the international Patents Cooperation Treaty…