Knowledge Highlights 2 May 2024
IPOS extends SG IP FAST pilot programme to 31 December 2024
On 19 April 2024, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”) announced that it will extend the SG IP FAST pilot programme to 31 December 2024. This will allow applicants to continue expediting patent applications as well as related trade mark and registered design applications. Applicants shall submit their requests for expediting by selecting the “Fast Track” acceleration type on Patents Form 11. Requests for acceleration of applications will be complimentary until further notice. The programme was originally extended for two years from 30 April 2022 to 30 April 2024.
Under the programme, applications can be accelerated as fast as follows:
- Grant of straightforward patent applications: Six months
- Grant of non-straightforward patent applications: Nine months
- Registration of straightforward trade mark applications: Three months
- Registration of non-straightforward trade mark applications: Six months
- Registration of registered design applications: One month
By way of background, on 1 May 2020, IPOS launched the SG Patent Fast Track programme to support the acceleration of patent applications in all technology fields. The programme was then expanded on 1 September 2020 to allow applicants with a patent application accelerated under this programme to also request for the acceleration of their related trade mark and registered design applications. The programme was renamed SG IP FAST.
Acceleration programmes
The SG IP FAST pilot programme is an option under IPOS’ suite of acceleration programmes which an applicant may consider to expedite the patent grant process. For example, an applicant who is interested in obtaining patent protection in ASEAN countries could consider accelerating their patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty-ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (PCT-ASPEC) pilot programme which is currently available until 26 August 2025. Alternatively, where appropriate, applicants could also accelerate applications under the ASPEC Acceleration for Industry 4.0 Infrastructure and Manufacturing (ASPEC-AIM) programme (for specific technologies such as FinTech, cybersecurity and robotics), or the basic ASPEC programme (a work sharing programme between intellectual property (IP) offices of ASEAN countries). Applications in ASEAN countries filed under these three programmes have generally proceeded to grant at a much faster rate, as compared to patent applications prosecuted under the regular prosecution paths.
For more information, please read our article “PCT-ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation pilot programme extended till 26 August 2025”.
Reference materials
The following reference materials are available on the IPOS website www.ipos.gov.sg:
