The Intellectual Property Act 2014 helps to clarify the protection that is available to owners of intellectual property.

Its aim is to “reduce the need for costly litigation” and “provide greater certainty for investors in new designs and technologies”.

Key elements include:

• new powers to enable the UK to implement the Unitary Patent Court Agreement;
• the introduction of criminal penalties for copying UK-registered designs and the strengthening of design protection; and
• proposals for a designs opinion service and an expanded patents opinions service. 

The Unified Patent Court will allow businesses to enforce or defend patent infringement and rights in one court rather than in each European country, and is expected to start running in 2015.

The introduction of criminal penalties for copying UK-registered designs and the strengthening of design protection brings this area of intellectual property into line with the existing penalties for copyright and trademark disputes. 

The designs opinion service and an expanded patents opinions service will enable businesses to ask the Intellectual Property Office to “provide an expert opinion on whether a UK design or patent is valid or being infringed”. It’s designed to help businesses assess cases and information needs.