(Publ. 17 DEC 2014) From January 1st, 2015, two rule changes enter into force, making it easier and more cost-efficiaent for foreign companies apply for patents in Norway.

At the beginning of next year Norway will enter the London Agreement. This means that companies holding a European patent registration, approved by the European Patent Office (EPO), only need to translate patent claims into Norwegian, when the patent is to be validated in Norway. Previously, the entire patent application had to be translated into Norwegian. However, If the patent is granted in French or German, the specification in the patent application needs to be translated into Norwegian or English.

The second amendment will make it allowed to file patent applications in English in Norway. This is the same step as the Swedish Patent Office, PRV, took in 2014. If a patent application is submitted in English the applicant can also ask the patent office to communicate in English regarding the application. This also applies to international applications being validated in Norway. However, the claims must still be translated into Norwegian.

The purpose of these amendments is to reduce the cost for companies when they apply for patents. Applicants do not have to now translate their patents to yet other language, and can therefore reduce costs.