The Netherlands Patent Office (OCN), that falls under the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, is offering an accelerated search procedure in digital patent databases for inventions that play a role in controlling the coronavirus. Usually this type of search takes about four weeks, but the OCN is now applying a considerably shorter procedure of only two working days.
It includes carrying out an orienting search that offers insight into what others have already invented in the same technical field. The search also shows which existing technical solutions can be used. You can then decide whether to apply for a patent. The OCN states that this accelerated search procedure is not a novelty search or a binding recommendation. It is purely a stepping stone for entrepreneurs to explore the market. That means that based on the search results, you will still need to do additional searches in patent databases or employ a patent attorney. You can find more information on the OCN website
