Trademark fee changes to take effect on January 18 November 15, 2024 As part of our regular assessment of fees under our authority to set fees paid to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by stakeholders applying for and/or maintaining their trademarks, we are announcing updated trademark fees in a final rule , effective January 18, 2025. These fee adjustments will provide us with sufficient funding to effectively administer the U.S. trademark registration system and the ability to implement programs and initiatives driving our 2022–2026 Strategic Plan. Our updated trademark fees enable us to deliver high-quality and timely trademark examination and review proceedings that produce accurate and reliable trademark rights for domestic and international stakeholders. They also enable us to execute additional efforts to provide more options and clarity for trademark applicants and owners by rooting out unused trademarks in the trademark register and to proactively address the increase in fraudulent activities threatening trademark owners. The rule will equip the USPTO to accomplish our mission to drive U.S. innovation, inclusive capitalism, and global competitiveness. Our proposal was shaped by public feedback we’ve received beginning with a public hearing in June 2023 hosted by our Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC). Following the hearing, TPAC provided us with a written report detailing the public comments received and its recommendations regarding the proposed fees. We considered and analyzed all comments, advice, and recommendations, and on March 26, 2024, published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on setting and adjusting trademark fees. Again, we invited additional comments, which we considered, and responses to these comments are included in the final rule. “Our updated trademark fees will allow us to develop news ways to fight fraud, support our colleagues and stakeholders with reliable IT infrastructure, and enhance our work to reduce trademark pendency,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “We thank our stakeholders and the public for the thoughtful, constructive feedback reflected in the final rule and look forward to continuing to serve America’s entrepreneurs.” To learn more about the USPTO’s upcoming fee changes, please visit the fee setting section of the USPTO website.
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Patent fee changes to take effect on January 19 November 20, 2024 As part of our regular assessment of fees under our fee-setting authority, we are announcing updated patents fees in a final rule , effective January 19, 2025. These fee adjustments will provide us with sufficient funding to effectively and efficiently administer the U.S. patent system and continue progress toward achieving our strategic goals. Our updated patent fees provide us with additional resources to reflect the budgetary impact of new discounts enacted under the Unleashing American Innovators Act for small businesses, independent inventors, and others who qualify as "small entities" or "micro entities." Additionally, this allows us to maintain efficient operations and support for our 14,000+ employees across the country dedicated to serving American innovators. Both the updated patent and trademark fees will enable us to accomplish our mission to drive U.S. innovation, inclusive capitalism, and global competitiveness. Our patent proposal is shaped by public feedback we’ve received since we published a Federal Register Notice on April 20, 2023, that announced plans to exercise our authority to set or adjust patent fees. On May 18, 2023, the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) held a public hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, and invited members of the public to submit comments on fee adjustments. Following the hearing, PPAC provided us with a written report detailing the public comments received and its recommendations regarding the proposed fees. We considered and analyzed all comments, advice, and recommendations, and on April 3, 2024, published a notice of proposed rulemaking on setting and adjusting patent fees. We again invited additional comments which we considered, and in response decided not to move forward with three targeted proposals and revised an additional three targeted proposals. The three fee changes we are not moving forward include: a new fee for After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 requests; a targeted increase to the patent term adjustment fee; and terminal disclaimer tiered fees. The three revised fee changes (and their revisions) include: upward adjustment of the timing thresholds for continuing applications; substantial reduction to the adjusted patent term extension fee; and elimination of the proposed new tier for third and subsequent requests for continued examination, and corresponding adjustments to the existing fee for second and subsequent requests. Responses to these comments are included in the final rule. “Our updated patent fees will allow us to enhance patent examination quality, achieve patent pendency goals, and continue investing in modern information technology systems and architecture,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “We appreciate all the public feedback we received as we continue to work to serve America’s innovators and drive our nation’s competitiveness.” The America Invents Act of 2011 permits the agency to set and/or adjust individual patent fees above, below, or equal to the cost of particular services, so long as the aggregate revenues for all patent fees recover the aggregate estimated costs of the patent operation. For more information on these fee adjustments, please visit the fee setting section of the USPTO website.
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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will be offering the Introductory Fire Debris Analysis for the Forensic Chemist class for US federal, state, and local government laboratory analysts from July 21-24, 2025. This is a four-day course designed for analysts in the early stages of fire debris training or with less than a year experience in conducting fire debris analysis casework. The course is tuition-free and will be offered at the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory – Washington in Beltsville, Maryland.
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