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The Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37), United Kingdom

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Superseded Text  Go to latest Version in WIPO Lex
Year of Version 1977 Dates Enacted: July 29, 1977 Type of Text Main IP Laws Subject Matter Patents (Inventions), Undisclosed Information (Trade Secrets), Plant Variety Protection, Enforcement of IP and Related Laws, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), IP Regulatory Body Notes The Patents Act 1977 is the main patent law in the UK and gives effect to certain international conventions on patents.
The Act sets out the legal rights and duties for UK patents and patent applications, and how UK law relates to the European Patent Convention (EPC) and the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT).

Section 132(5) of this Act stipulates: 'This Act (except sections 77(6), (7) and (9), 78(7) and (8), this subsection and the repeal of section 41 of the 1949 Act) shall come into operation on such day as may be appointed by the Secretary of the State by order, and different days may be appointed under this subsection for different purposes.'

Available Texts Main text(s) Main text(s) English The Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37) PDF HTML
Legislation Is superseded by (6 text(s)) Is superseded by (6 text(s))
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, updated on August 21, 2022)  (GB583)
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, updated on March 26, 2021)  (GB517)
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, updated up to October 21, 2020)  (GB391)
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, updated up to October 31, 2018)  (GB347)
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, updated up to March 27, 2014)  (GB324)
Patents Act 1977 (Chapter 37, as amended up to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988) (GB100)
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WTO Document Reference
IP/N/1/GBR/P/1
WIPO Lex No. GB001