.... AND HERE WE GO AGAIN - CIPO DEADLINES EXTENDED

Photo by Elisa Michelet on Unsplash

It would have been hard to predict back in March 2020 that all CIPO deadlines would be pushed forward 3 months until June 2020, but here we are.  CIPO has announced a further extension until June 15, 2020 of all deadline for IP matters that fall on or before June 12, 2020. 

These extensions are of course necessary due to the hardships caused by Covid-19, but they may also create hardships for IP owners. For example, CIPO's system recently inadvertently issued Registration Fee Notices which permitted applicants to register their marks even though the opposition period had technically not yet expired due to the deadline extensions. As a result, several alarmed prospective opponents had to contact CIPO to request the retraction of these registrations/registration fee notices so that the full opposition period would be preserved.

​Despite this additional extension of time, CIPO is encouraging applicants to proceed "business as usual" where possible with responses to Office Actions, the submission of evidence, and so forth. 

We will keep you updated of all further extension periods.  If you need information on how these extension period affect you IP, please contact us.

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