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DOC/PTO RIN: 0651-AD25 Publication ID: Spring 2018 
Title: Changes to Eliminate Unnecessary Regulations 
Abstract: In accordance with Executive Order 13777, "Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda," and Executive Order 13771, "Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs," the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to remove its regulations governing reservation clauses, petitions from the refusal of a primary examiner to admit an amendment, the publication of amendments to the regulations, and limits that the Director can impose on the number of Inter Partes Reviews and Post-Grant Reviews heard by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. This proposed rule implements the USPTO's work to identify and propose regulations for removal, modification, and streamlining because they are outdated, unnecessary, ineffective, costly, or unduly burdensome on the agency or the private sector. The revisions proposed herein would put into effect the work USPTO has done, in part through its participation in the Regulatory Reform Task Force established by the Department of Commerce pursuant to Executive Order 13777, to review and identify regulations that are candidates for removal. 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Info./Admin./Other 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
EO 13771 Designation: Deregulatory 
CFR Citation: 37 CFR 1.179    37 CFR 1.127    37 CFR 1.351    37 CFR 42.201    37 CFR 42.202   
Legal Authority: 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  01/19/2018  83 FR 2759   
NPRM Comment Period End  02/20/2018 
Final Action  05/00/2018 
Final Action Effective  06/00/2018 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: No  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Raul Tamayo
Department of Commerce
Patent and Trademark Office
600 Dulany Street, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313
Phone:571 272-7728
Fax:571 273-7728
Email: raul.tamayo@uspto.gov