The upcoming revision of patent law, which will introduce a mandatory search for all applications and an optional examination of novelty and inventive step, is one of the most complex and resource-intensive projects undertaken by the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) in recent years. 

 

Preparations are in full swing and are progressing well. At this stage of the implementation, the Executive Board is now better able to estimate when the project will be completed. It has decided to propose to the Federal Council that the law come into force on 1 January 2027.

 

This later date significantly reduces the risks that could arise if the law were introduced earlier. It also gives the IPI’s intermediaries, namely patent and trade mark attorneys, sufficient time and certainty to plan and prepare.

 

The IPI will use the next 14 months to further expand its expertise, thoroughly test the new processes and IT systems and provide comprehensive training for its patent experts so that the new law can be competently implemented from day one and a high level of quality can be guaranteed. 

 

The Federal Council is expected to approve the revised Patents Ordinance and decide on the commencement date of the revised patent law in May 2026.