Patent News in Colombia

The Colombian Government has recently adopted new policies in order to develop the patent prosecution system in a most cost and efficient way. All efforts have been implemented to encourage local and foreign companies to apply for the protection of their IP rights, especially in patents the most significant and practical changes are the following.

As for the formal requirements, the anti-paper law has been recently applied in Colombia. Said law presumes the good faith in the actions of individuals and it has been applied with the purpose of allowing the applicant to have his/her patent prosecution in a more time and cost efficient manner. 

 

The main rules that apply in the patent prosecution matters are the following:

 

• No legalizations are required. Scanned copy of the documents is sufficed. This rule does not apply for the certified copy of the priority applications.

• The PTO is not allowed to request documents that are already in its files. 

• No evidence of a change of name of the applicant must be submitted. This rule also applies for the recordal of a change of address or domicile.

• Carrying out administrative procedures online. However, this tool has not yet to be implemented at all in the PTO for patent prosecution matters.

 

Colombia IP: Patents

Types of Patents:
- Patents of Invention
- Patents of PCT

 

Filing requirements:
- Application form signed by registered attorney;
- Power of attorney;
- Title of the invention, its complete description and drawings, if any; class of the international nomenclature to which it belong; one or more claims as to novelty, inventive step and industrial application of the invention; and a summary of the application comprising at least one characteristic claim;
- A copy of the first corresponding foreign application, only when priority is claimed;
- Receipt of payment of the filing fee;
- Date concerning identification of applicant or the person filing the application that allows the Patent Office to communicate with such person.

 

Granting:
- Twenty years from filing date

 

Renewals:
- Information not found