Amendment to Patent Act

Act No. 402/2002 Coll., amending and supplementing the Act No. 435/2001 Coll. on Patents, Supplementary Protection Certificates and amending certain other acts (the Patent Act)

This amendment modifies certain legislative shortcomings contained in the Patent Act.

Under the amended wording, the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic (the ``Office'') shall nullify a patent, if it is proven in a proceeding initiated by a third person or ex officio, that conditions for granting the patent were not met at the time of its granting.

The amendment also applies to international patent applications. An international patent applicant, applying for a patent valid in the territory of the Slovak Republic, shall submit the international application to the Office within 31 months from commencement of priority right, compared to the previously required 21 months in certain cases.

This Act became effective on 1 August 2002.