UK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE TO RAISE SERVICE FEES, PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS TO INCREASE BY AN AVERAGE OF 25%

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has announced plans to raise fees for intellectual property (IP) services including patents, trademarks and designs by an average of 25%, effective April 1, 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.

1. UK Intellectual Property Office to Raise Service Fees, Patents and Trademarks to Increase by an Average of 25%

The adjustment covers the entire lifecycle of IP services, from application and examination to renewal and enforcement. Key changes include a 33% hike in patent search fees (from £150 to £200), a 21% increase in online trademark application fees (from £170 to £205), and a 20% rise in single design application fees (from £50 to £60).

The IPO cited three main reasons for the fee increase: a cumulative inflation rate of 32% in the UK since 2016, the need to upgrade digital systems, and the sustainability of service quality. This marks the first fee adjustment for trademarks since 1998, patents since 2018, and designs since 2016. Relevant entities are advised to complete transactions under the current fee structure before April 2026 to control costs.

2. Rising Fees on Vietnamese E-commerce Platforms Plague Sellers: Order Costs Reach 25%, Some Forced to Exit Market

Vietnamese e-commerce sellers are facing operational difficulties during the year-end shopping peak, as frequent fee policy adjustments by platforms such as Shopee and TikTok Shop have led to a sharp increase in seller costs.

Sellers revealed that platform commissions and operating costs account for 20%-25% of the total value of an order worth 400,000 Vietnamese dong, with some orders resulting in a loss of 20,000-30,000 Vietnamese dong.

Sluggish order volumes have forced sellers to shift to direct transactions on social platforms like Facebook and Zalo to avoid service fees. Short-term fee fluctuations have already caused some sellers to downsize operations, suspend advertising, or withdraw from the market entirely.

Experts note that Vietnamese law does not set a cap on platform fees, but the sharp rise in costs will impact the diversity of the seller ecosystem. Sellers are advised to optimize operations and resource allocation promptly to adapt to the changes.

3. Cross-border E-commerce Giant Gemte Terminates Major Asset Restructuring

After more than five months of planning, Gemte Co., Ltd. (300868) has abandoned its major asset restructuring plan. In an announcement released on the evening of December 2, Gemte disclosed the termination of the restructuring.

According to the announcement, Gemte originally planned to acquire control of Sitan Heli (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. (“Sitan Heli”) through cash payment. Upon completion of the transaction, Sitan Heli would have become a controlling subsidiary of Gemte.

Gemte stated that due to the failure of all parties involved to reach an agreement on the core terms of the transaction, no final plan or formal agreement was concluded. With the unanimous consent of all parties, the major asset restructuring plan has been terminated.

Trading data shows that on December 2, Gemte’s stock closed down 3.07% at 28.72 yuan per share, with a total market value of 3.675 billion yuan.

Information take from: https://www.linkagecc.com/industry_detail?id=1996121666908266497

Imagen take from: https://www.daviesandlewis.com/news/ipo-announces-25-fee-increase-from-april-2026

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Imagen take from: https://www.daviesandlewis.com/news/ipo-announces-25-fee-increase-from-april-2026