Patent Law & Practice at a Glance – July 2026

UKIPO update

New guidance on examination of computer-implemented inventions

The decision of the UK Supreme Court in the Emotional Perception case earlier this year rewrote the UK’s approach to determining the patentability of computer-implemented inventions, establishing a new test closely aligned with the “any hardware” approach used by the EPO. The UKIPO has now published a practice notice to examiners giving guidance on how the new test should be applied.

The practice notice explicitly directs examiners not to follow the old Aerotel test and indicates that objections formulated under the test should be reconsidered if contested by applicants. It also notes that the Manual of Patent Practice will be updated to reflect the new test in due course and states that, in the meantime, examiners should disregard certain sections of the manual that are now outdated in view of the UK Supreme Court’s decision.

Detailed analysis of the UKIPO’s practice notice can be found here.

UK-China IP

The UKIPO publishes a newsletter targeted at UK stakeholders, including updates on recent developments in Chinese IP. The latest edition of this newsletter can be found here.

Monthly filing statistics: patents, trade marks and designs

The latest month’s statistics are now available here. Statistics for previous months can be found here.

Customer service standards

The latest update on how the UKIPO is doing relative to the customer service targets it has set itself can be found here.

EPO update

Announcement of 2027 closed days

The EPO has announced the days on which it will be closed in 2027. The full list is available here.

PPH programme between the EPO and the CNIPA

The EPO has announced that the pilot PPH programme between the EPO and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has concluded, with a new bilateral PPH programme running alongside the existing IP5 PPH framework and following the same conditions. The new programme will come into effect on 1 August 2026 and will run for an indefinite period.

Full details of the programme are available here.

Reduction of the fees for the international search and the international preliminary examination

By a decision of 12 December 2019, the fees for the international search and the international preliminary examination carried out on international applications filed by nationals of certain states have been reduced. The EPO periodically updates the countries for which these reductions apply and, as of 3 July, the Federated States of Micronesia, Jordan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam have been removed from the list. The full list of countries for which fee reductions apply is available here.

The application of Rule 134(5) EPC after the earthquakes in Venezuela on 24 June 2026

In view of the earthquakes in the north-west of Venezuela on 24 June 2026, the EPO has drawn attention to the general legal remedies in cases of non-observance of time limits. These are:

• Rule 134(5) EPC;
• Rule 20(2)(g)UPR; and
• Rule 82quater.1 PCT.

Full details are available here.

PCT update

WIPO simplifies access to PCT Infoline through online button

PCT users can now call WIPO’s free-of-charge PCT Information Service directly over the internet. The PCT Information Service answers general enquiries about the filing of international applications and the procedure to be followed during the international phase of the PCT. Please see here (page 2) for further details.

SME support series: how to use the PCT timeline strategically

The following question is answered: I run a small business and would like to seek patent protection for an important invention without delay. At the same time, we are still testing the product, speaking with investors and potential partners, and deciding where we may launch, manufacture or license the invention. I understand that the PCT gives us more time to decide where to seek patent protection. How should we use that time? The answer is set out here (pages 6 to 9).

Practical advice: communications usually received from Offices during the international phase under Chapter I of the PCT

The following question is answered: I’ve just filed a PCT application. What communications will I receive during the international phase, assuming no defects in formalities are found in my application? The answer is set out here (pages 9 to 12).