Search Legislation

The Patents and Plant Variety Rights (Compulsory Licensing) Regulations 2002

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

 Help about opening options

Opening Options

Changes over time for: PART II

 Help about opening options

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the The Patents and Plant Variety Rights (Compulsory Licensing) Regulations 2002, PART II. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

PART IIU.K. COMPULSORY PATENT LICENCES

ApplicationsU.K.

3.—(1) Where a person cannot acquire or exploit plant breeders’ rights F1... in a new variety without infringing a prior patent, he may apply in accordance with rules to the Comptroller General of Patents for a licence under the patent and on such application shall pay the prescribed fee.

(2) An application under paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by particulars which seek to demonstrate that—

(a)the applicant cannot acquire or exploit plant breeders’ rights F1... without infringing a prior patent,

(b)the applicant has applied unsuccessfully to the proprietor of the prior patent concerned for a licence to use that patent to acquire or exploit plant breeders’ rights F1..., and

(c)the new plant variety, in which the applicant wishes to acquire or exploit the plant breeders’ rights F1..., constitutes significant technical progress of considerable economic interest in relation to the invention protected by the patent.

(3) If and so far as any agreement purports to bind any person not to apply for a licence under paragraph (1), it shall be void.

Proceedings before controllersU.K.

4.  On receipt by the Comptroller General of Patents of an application under regulation 3(1) and payment of the prescribed fee, the controllers shall consider and process the application in accordance with rules.

5.—(1) The proprietor of the patent concerned or any other person wishing to oppose an application under regulation 3(1) may, in accordance with rules, give to the Comptroller General of Patents notice of opposition and on giving such notice shall pay the prescribed fee.

(2) On receipt of a notice of opposition under paragraph (1) and payment of the prescribed fee, the controllers, in deciding whether to grant an application under regulation 3(1), shall consider and process any opposition in accordance with rules.

GrantU.K.

6.  Where, having considered the application made under regulation 3(1), the controllers are satisfied that—

(a)the applicant cannot acquire or exploit plant breeders’ rights F2... without infringing a prior patent,

(b)the applicant has applied unsuccessfully to the proprietor of the patent concerned for a licence to use the prior patent to acquire or exploit plant breeders’ rights F2..., and

(c)the new plant variety, in which the applicant wishes to acquire or exploit the plant breeders’ rights F2..., constitutes significant technical progress of considerable economic interest in relation to the invention protected by the patent,

the controllers shall order the grant to the applicant (or, where the applicant is a government department, shall order the grant to any person specified in the application) of a licence to use the invention protected by the prior patent in so far as the licence is necessary for the exploitation of the new plant variety on the conditions set out in regulation 7 and on such other terms as the controllers think fit.

ConditionsU.K.

7.—(1) A compulsory patent licence shall—

(a)not be exclusive,

(b)entitle the proprietor of the patent concerned to an appropriate royalty, and

(c)entitle the proprietor of the patent concerned to a cross licence on reasonable terms to use the new plant variety.

(2) Where the controllers order the grant of a compulsory patent licence to a person who has been granted plant breeders’ rights in the new plant variety, the proprietor of the patent concerned may request, a cross licence on reasonable terms of the plant breeders’ rights to use the new plant variety in respect of which the compulsory patent licence has been granted and, on such request, the controllers shall order the grant of such a cross licence to that proprietor (or, where the proprietor of the patent is a government department, to any person specified in the request).

(3) Where the controllers order the grant of a compulsory patent licence to a person who has yet to acquire plant breeders’ rights in the new plant variety, the proprietor of the patent concerned may request a cross licence on reasonable terms of the plant breeders’ rights to use the new plant variety in respect of which the compulsory patent licence has been granted and, on such request, the controllers shall order the grant of such a cross licence to that proprietor (or, where the proprietor of the patent is a government department, to any person specified in the request), and the cross licence shall come into effect on the grant to the holder of the compulsory patent licence of plant breeders’ rights in the new plant variety.

F3(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VariationU.K.

8.—(1) On application at any time by a party to the Comptroller General of Patents in accordance with rules, the controllers may extend, limit or in any other respect vary an order for grant of a—

(a)compulsory patent licence, or

(b)cross licence under regulation 7(2) or 7(3),

and extend, limit or in any other respect vary the licence granted under the order.

(2) On receipt of an application under paragraph (1), the controllers shall consider and process the application in accordance with rules.

RevocationU.K.

9.—(1) A party may, at any time, apply to the Comptroller General of Patents in accordance with rules to revoke an order for grant of—

(a)a compulsory patent licence, or

(b)cross licence under regulation 7(2) or 7(3),

if the circumstances which led to the order for grant have ceased to exist or are unlikely to recur.

(2) On receipt by the Comptroller General of Patents of an application under paragraph (1), the controllers shall consider and process the application in accordance with rules and if the controllers are satisfied that the circumstances which led to an order for grant of a—

(a)compulsory patent licence, or

(b)cross licence under regulation 7(2) or 7(3),

have ceased to exist or are unlikely to recur, the controllers may revoke the order and terminate the licence granted under the order, subject to such terms and conditions as they think necessary for the protection of the legitimate interests of the holder of the compulsory patent licence or the cross licence ordered to be granted under regulation 7(2) or 7(3).

10.  In regulations 8 and 9, “party” means the proprietor of the patent concerned or the applicant, as the case may be, in an application under regulation 3(1) or their respective successors in title.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources