Introductory text

DESIGNS

PATENTS

TRADE MARKS

Made 25th February 2026

Laid before Parliament 2nd March 2026

Coming into force 1st April 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by section 250 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988^f1, section 123 of the Patents Act 1977^f2, sections 54, 78 and 79 of the Trade Marks Act 1994^f3, sections 36 and 40 of the Registered Designs Act 1949^f4 and paragraphs 1 and 5(2) of Schedule 4, and paragraph 21(b) of Schedule 7, to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018^f5.

In accordance with section 250(3) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 40 of the Registered Designs Act 1949 and paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 4 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the Secretary of State has obtained the consent of the Treasury.

In accordance with articles 5, 6 and 7 of the Department of Trade and Industry (Fees) Order 1988^f6, the Secretary of State has taken into account the costs of the functions specified in Parts 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 1, and the matters specified in Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 2, to that Order.

Annotations

Footnotes

f1: 1988 c. 48.
f2: 1977 c. 37; section 123 was amended by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48), Schedule 5, paragraph 29, Schedule 7, paragraph 22 and Schedule 8 and the Patents Act 2004 (c. 16), Schedule 2, paragraphs 1 and 26.
f3: 1994 c. 26.
f4: 1949 c. 88; section 36 was amended by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48), Schedule 3, paragraph 26; S.I. 2001/3949, regulation 9(1) and Schedule 1, paragraph 11; the Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), section 12; section 40 was amended by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48), Schedule 3, paragraph 29.
f5: 2018 c. 16; paragraph 21(b) of Schedule 7 was amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (c. 1), Schedule 5, paragraph 53 and the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28), Schedule 2, paragraph 8. See paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 4 to that Act for a definition of “appropriate authority” and section 20(1) of that Act for a definition of “Minister of the Crown”.
f6: S.I. 1988/93, amended by S.I. 1990/1473 both of which were made under section 102 of the Finance Act (No. 2) Act 1987 (c. 51); there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.