(a) at present the preliminary search and examination fee is £130 for all applications. Under rule 102(a) of the Patents Rules 1995, the comptroller may remit the whole or part of this fee in respect of any international application for a patent designating the United Kingdom which falls to be treated as an application for a patent under the Patents Act 1977 because when these applications enter the national phase under section 89A(3)(a) they will as such have already been the subject of a search by the International Searching Authority in accordance with the Patent Co-operation Treaty. The usual amount of the remittance is £20. Making the remittance is time consuming and inefficient. The relevant amendment reduces the fee to be paid for the preliminary search and examination for these applications by £30 (the £10 difference is recovered by the amendment described in paragraph (b)) (rule 3);

(b) the Patents (Fees) Rules 1998 removed the fee (£25) which previously had to be paid before an international application for a patent (UK) could enter the national phase under section 89A(3) of the Patents Act 1977. In the absence of a prescribed fee, there is no barrier to the automatic entry into the national phase of an English language international application. This has had the unintended effect of denying patent applicants the opportunity to reconsider whether such entry is desired or desirable given that on entry, such applications become published and part of the state of the art under section 2(3) of the Patents Act 1977. The amendment re-introduces a reduced fee (£10 instead of £25) to correct this (rule 4).

A Regulatory Impact Assessment is available, copies of which have been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament. Copies are available also from the Legal Division, Patents and Designs Directorate, the Patent Office, Newport, South Wales, NP9 1RH.