The amendments to the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property (FLPIP), published today, introduce a new filing mechanism allowing applicants to submit provisional patent applications in Mexico.

This new route enables applicants to secure an early filing date with reduced formal requirements, requiring only the identification of the applicant and a description sufficient to identify the invention.

Under the amended law, applicants may file a provisional patent application in Mexico in order to obtain a recognized filing date based on the date and time of submission.

To benefit from this mechanism, the applicant must file a complete patent application within a non-extendable 12-month period from the filing date of the provisional application. Failure to do so will result in the provisional application being deemed abandoned, without the need for a formal declaration by the Patent Office.

Mexican provisional applications may not claim priority from any prior application, will not be published, and will not be subject to substantive examination.

This mechanism provides a flexible tool for applicants seeking protection of inventions that are still under development, allowing them to secure a filing date while deferring the preparation of a complete application.

The introduction of provisional patent applications represents a significant development in Mexican patent law and aligns the system with mechanisms available in other jurisdictions.

The transitory provisions clarify that these amendments will enter into force on the day following their publication, while pending applications will continue to be prosecuted under the legal framework in force at the time they were initiated.

Further developments are anticipated, as the implementing regulations of the law are still pending issuance and are expected to be published in the near term.

At OLIVARES, we are closely monitoring the implementation of these changes and will keep you timely informed of any further relevant developments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWSLETTER, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sergio L. Olivares Sr.

Sergio L. Olivares Sr.

Partner

Sergio L. Olivares Sr. joined OLIVARES in 1987 and today leads the firm with strength and a commitment to transparency, client satisfaction, and personal service. He has been a partner since 1994 and Chairman of the Management Committee since 2009.
Daniel Sánchez

Daniel Sánchez

Partner

Daniel Sanchez joined OLIVARES in 2000 and became a partner in 2011. He is one of the leading intellectual property (IP) and administrative litigators in Mexico and is recognized by industry rankings and publications.
Rommy Morales

Rommy Morales

Partner

Rommy Morales is a partner at OLIVARES and joined the firm in 2008. She has provided advice to several of the world’s leading pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and chemical companies in the protection and defense of their intellectual property rights. She co-leads the Patent group and coordinates the areas of filing and patent prosecution. She is recognized as one of the most distinguished specialists in Mexico in patent prosecution and IP litigation, owing to her extensive technical knowledge and vast experience in this field

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