The Chinese Patent Office plans to cancel maintenance fees for invention patent applications from October 1, 2009. 

 Under current Chinese patent practice, the applicant for invention patent application should pay maintenance fees from the third year of the Chinese filing date.  The applicant may pay the maintenance fees every year during pendency of its invention patent application, or pay all accumulative maintenance fees at the time of paying granting fees.  

 From October 1, 2009, the applicant does not need to pay maintenance fees for its invention patent application.  When the invention patent application is allowed, the applicant needs to pay granting fees and annuity of year its application is granted only.  However, after grant, the applicant still needs to pay annuity every year so to keep the patent in force. 

 Jeekai & Partners news

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