Excerpt from History of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property: Including a Discussion of the Articles of the Union and Their Effect Upon Industrial Property of Citizens of the United States

In Europe a patent is generally subject to the payment of an annual tax. In France this is $20 annually. In Germany it is for the first and second years, and afterwards increases annually by that amount during the life of the patent. In Great Britain £50 is payable before the expiration of the fourth year, and £100 before the expiration of the seventh. In Italy also there is an increasing annual tax. Everywhere the failure to pay these taxes when due works forfeiture of the patent.

Forfeiture results in many countries from a failure to work the inven tion within a certain prescribed period. Some require the working to take place actually in the country, while others do not insist upon this condition. The German law requires the invention to be worked in Ger many within three years Of the grant. In austria-hungary one year is allowed, and a delay of two years entails forfeiture. The Belgian law requires that the invention be worked within one year in Belgium, but this is not insisted upon unless it is worked elsewhere. Denmark re quires the invention to be worked within one year, and continuously during the life of the patent. Spain allows a year and a day. France two years and two years' suspension of the working entails forfeiture. Italy allows one year on patents whose term is five years, but two years are allowed on all patents of longer term. These Governments are not all agreed as to what shall be regarded as constituting working; some of them are satisfied if the article patented is introduced and sold; in others it is required to be actually produced in the country. Great Britain alone of all European Governments imposes no conditions of this character.

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