Subsequent to the launch of the "Accelerated Examination Program (AEP)" since January 1, 2009, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO), in an attempt to keep pace with international trend and to encourage green tech innovations, has recently extended the Program to green energy and environmental protection related applications.
Starting January 1, 2014, the TIPO will accept requests for accelerated examination of patent applications in the fields of energy, power and resource conservation and saving, new energy, new energy vehicles, and carbon reduction, among others. To this end, the Applicant only needs to pay an official fee of around US$145 with an explanation that the application for which a request for accelerated examination is filed is indeed green related. After the request is entertained by the TIPO, the Applicant can expect to receive the examination results of the application within 9 months (reduced from 29 months in average).
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The above contents are intended as general discussion of the subject matter only and shall not be deemed as legal advice to any particular case or issue.