U.S. has also been a country where Swedish companies have submitted numerous patent applications. One problem with this has been that the process has been time-consuming.
However, it will now be a change so that more doors can be opened and provide opportunities for businesses at a faster pace.
In the U.S. small businesses only pay half price for patent applications. This leads to that more small businesses apply for a patent in the U.S. where costs are not equally expensive. In Sweden, the size of companies does not matter. All businesses have to pay the same amount regardless of size, which means that patent applications by small and medium sized enterprises are relatively rare.
Now, the application process in the U.S. will also be much faster. According to the U.S. Patent Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) it will be easier to obtain patents for products.
An application process that previously took up to 40 months will now only take 12 months. The reason for this is that the U.S. wants to improve the competitiveness for U.S. environmental technology, among other things.
In a press release, the Patent Office states that
"American competitiveness depends on innovation. By ensuring that many new products obtain patent protection at a faster pace, we can encourage our top innovators to invest in the resources required to develop new technology and present it on the market"
They will begin by processing 3000 patent applications in this 12-month pace and then make an evaluation. This is believed to be a boost for the US market and contributes to more jobs at a faster pace.
Cecilia Helland