IP/N/1/GBR/187, IP/N/1/GBR/C/76  
IP/N/1/GBR/D/47, IP/N/1/GBR/P/36  
IP/N/1/GBR/E/29  
1 April 2021 
(21-2714) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS  
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT  
UNITED KINGDOM : INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACT 2014  
Notifying Member  UNITED KINGDOM  
 
Details of the notified legal text  
 
Title Intellectual Property Act 2014  
Subject matter  Copyright and related rights; Industrial designs; Patents (including plant 
variety protection); Enforcement  
Nature of 
notification  [X] Main dedicated intellectual property law or regulation  
[  ] Other law or regulation  
Link to legal text* https://ip -documents.info/2021/IP/GBR/21_1514_00_e.pdf  
Notification status  [  ] First notification  
[X] Amendment or revision to notified legal text  
[  ] Replacement or consolidation of notified legal text(s)  
Previous 
notification(s) 
referred to  IP/N/1/GBR /P/1; IP/N/1/GBR/C/1 ; IP/N/1/GBR/D/1  
Brief description of the notified legal text  
 
This Act introduced an easier way for patent owners to provide public notice of their patent rights, 
expanded the circumstances in which the IPO may issue an opinion in relation to patents, provided 
for the Agreement establishing a Unified Patent Court to be brought into effect in the UK, allowed 
the IPO to share information on unpublished patent applications with int ernational partners to help 
reduce international patent backlogs and speed up patent processing, and corrected minor aspects 
of the patents legislation to provide clarity and legal certainty to users of the patents system.  
 
S.22 amends the Copyright, Desig ns and Patents Act to simplify how copyright applies to foreign 
works and nationals meeting the UK 's obligations under international treaties.   
 
The Act amends the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the Patents Act 1977, the Registered 
Designs Act 1 949 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  
 
In relation to design law in particular, the following amendments were made:  
 
(i)  Criminal sanctions: intentional copying of a UK or EU -registered design without the consent 
of its owner, whilst knowing (or having reason to believe) that the design is registered, was 
made a criminal offence.  
 
(ii)  Unregistered designs: in the absence of a contract to the contrary, the designer is the owner 
of the design, not the person who commissioned it.  IP/N/1/GBR/187 • IP/N/1/GBR/C/76 • IP/N/1/GBR/D/47 • IP/N/1/GBR/P/36 • IP/N/1/GBR/E/29  
 
- 2 - 
 
  (iii)  Prior use: allows a limited right to continue to use a registered design where a third party acts 
in good faith in the use of a design that is subsequently registered by another person.  
 
(iv)  UK access to the Hague system: includes provisions to allow the UK to  implement the Geneva 
Act of the Hague Agreement.  
 
Language(s) of 
notified legal text English  
Entry into force  14 May 2014  
Other date    
 
Notification details  
 
Submission date 
of notification  11 February 2021  
Other information  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/18/schedule/enacted  
 
The Registered Designs Act 1949 (Isle of Man) Order 1989 (SI 1989/982)  
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (Isle of Man) (No.2) 
Order  1989 
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (Isle of Man) Order 1990  
 
Agency or 
authority 
responsible  UK Intellectual Property Office  
 
Concept House  
Cardiff Road  
Newport  
South Wales  
NP10 8QQ  
United Kingdom  
 
information@ipo.gov.uk  
 
0300 300 2000  
 
Outside the UK:  
+44 (0)1633 814000  
 
 
 
* Links are provided to texts of laws and regulations notified under the TRIPS Agreement in the form 
supplied by the Member concerned; the WTO Secretariat does not endorse or revise their content.