印度专利法细则修改，你所需要知道的要点都在这里！

　　印度上周发布了第一个统一的国家知识产权策略，而在5月14日，印度知识产权局又正式发布了专利法细则的修改版本「The Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2016 (Revised Rules)」，该修改后的专利法于5月16日正式生效，以下是要点归纳。

　　▎进入国家阶段时可以删除权利要求

　　At the time of filing a national phase application (in India) corresponding to an international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the applicant may now be allowed to delete claims.

　　根据修改后的专利法细则，如果一个PCT申请进入印度国家阶段，在进入国家阶段时可以被允许删除权利要求。

　　▎撤回专利退款

　　It is now possible to get a refund of 90% of fees paid for request for examination / expedited examination, if a request for withdrawal of a patent application is made before the issuance of the first examination report.

　　如果主动撤回未被审查/或未被加速审查的申请，相关费用有可能得到90%的退款。

　　这个条款的设置是因为目前印度局积累了大量的专利（超过20万件）没有审查，虽然印度局去年扩招了459个新审查员，但是还是希望申请人能够主动撤回一些不重要的专利，以缓解审查压力。

　　▎扶持初创公司

　　Under the Revised Rules, a new applicant category, called 'Startup' has been introduced. A 'Startup' can be a private limited company, a registered partnership firm or a limited liability partnership, which satisfies the criteria prescribed in the Revised Rules.

　　Fees applicable to a 'Startup' are the same as those applicable to a natural person.A 'Startup' can also avail of the expedited examination procedure provided under the Revised Rules.

　　引入初创公司（startup）的定义，初创公司将享受与自然人一样的费用减免待遇，并能够申请使用加速审查程序（expedited examination procedure）。

　　初创公司需要满足的条件（成立时间小于5年，年营业额不超过2.5亿卢比）：Essentially, an entity will be eligible as a ‘startup’ has to be less than 5 years old, with an annual turnover less than INR 25 crore in any financial year and must be working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialization of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property。

　　而初创公司使用加速审查程序（expedited examination procedure）的费用仅需8000卢比（约800人民币）左右。

　　▎加速审查程序

　　This service can be enjoyed only by (a) applicants who have listed India in their international application (in accordance with the Patent Cooperation Treaty) as the competent International Searching Authority or elected as an international Preliminary Examining Authority or by (b) applicants that are startups. The expedited examination service is available only through the electronic route.

　　使用加速审查的条件，要不申请人是初创公司，要不PCT申请指定印度局作为国际阶段检索单位或者国际初步审查单位。只能使用电子途径使用加速审查的服务。

　　印度局的目标是到2018年3年为止，将目前印度专利的平均授权时间由7-8年缩短到18个月。

　　▎数字化

　　The Revised Rules have made it mandatory for patent agents to file all documents via the e-filing portal. However, documents such as proofs of right, assignments, licenses, powers of authority, priority documents are still required to be submitted in original. Such documents, in original, can be submitted within 15 days of filing scanned copies via the e-filing portal.

　　The address for service is required to include a postal address in India and an email address as well. Any written communication from the patent office to the postal address or email address as provided shall be deemed to be properly addressed.

　　修改后的细则要求专利代理人通过电子申请的方式提交所有专利文档，但是有一些特殊文档（例如优先权文档等）仍需要原始提交，当然，在申请日之后15天之内，把这些文档的原始版本扫描并通过电子申请入口提交到系统即可。

　　申请人提供的地址必须包括印度境内的邮政地址以及email地址。所有印度局发给上述地址的书面沟通（无论是邮政地址还是email地址）均应该被视为已正确寄出。