Insights

Korea's IP office has just published a guide to patent priority examination, covering documents, fees and common deficiencies (Korea Publishes Guide to Patent Priority Examination). China has just replaced its own rules: CNIPA Order No. 85, the Measures for the Administration of Patent Priority Examination, took effect on 1 September 2026 and repealed Order No. 76 of 2017. The new Measures narrow the stage at which an invention application qualifies and list cases where priority examination is normally refused. This guide explains who can apply, what to file, how fast CNIPA must act and what sends a case back to the normal track. It is general information; a specific case needs professional advice.

The European Patent Office has just reminded applicants that a divisional must pay renewal fees already paid on the parent (EPO: Divisionals Must Pay Fees Already Paid on Parent). China has its own rules on divisional applications: when you can still divide, what dates the divisional keeps and when a further division is allowed. For foreign applicants the question usually comes up when CNIPA raises a unity objection and asks you to cut claims you still want to protect. This guide follows the current Implementing Regulations of the Patent Law, in force since 20 January 2024. It is general information; a specific case needs professional advice.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published amended directions on 8 November that came into force on 9 November and formally close the legacy government website channel for patent renewals. The directions, made by the comptroller under section 124A of the Patents Act 1977 and signed on 29 October, vary the E-directions for the common renewals service in force since 23 April 2021.

What was removed

The amendments take patents out of the shared renewals directions.

According to Korea's Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), Timor-Leste expects to set up an intellectual property office in the first half of 2027, with Korean support. MOIP said on 9 November that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive IP cooperation on 6 November in the presence of both heads of state, covering help with establishing the office and, beyond that, strengthening Timor-Leste's industrial competitiveness. The signing took place during the Timor-Leste President's official visit to Korea.

The five largest industrial design offices, known as ID5, have agreed to close the project on an informative user guide for digital design applications, co-led by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The decision was taken at the closed session of the 2026 ID5 annual meeting in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on 5 and 6 November, according to a CNIPA report on 7 November. ID5 brings together CNIPA, the USPTO, EUIPO, the Japan Patent Office and Korea's Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP).

The 15th China International Patent Technology and Product Fair opened in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on 6 November, with the 26th China Patent Awards presented at the opening ceremony. Running until 8 November at the Wuxi Taihu International Expo Center, the fair has the theme "patents link innovation, transfer releases value" and about 22,000 square metres of exhibition space. According to a report by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) on 7 November, nearly 1,500 people attended the opening.