Brussels,

Why to protect your business ideas?

If you have a great, innovative idea you should consider protecting it as your intellectual property (IP) before announcing it to the world! Great ideas are only of value if you can legally claim them as your own.
In this page we will explain how to safely protect your intellectual property.

What is intellectual property?

Intellectual property consists of products, work or processes that you have created and which give you a competitive advantage.

There are several types of protection available::

• Patents - Industrial property: inventions, trademarks, industrial designs, new varieties of plants and geographic indications of origin
• Copyright: original literary and artistic works, music, television broadcasting, software, databases, architectural designs, advertising creations and multimedia. Validity:
• Commercial strategies: trade secrets, know-how, confidentiality agreements, or rapid production.

How to protect your intellectual property?

You can protect your intellectual property by means of the intellectual property rights (IPR) laid down by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). You can register your intellectual property at national or European level or depending on the type of intellectual property:

• Patents - protect the technical features of an invention, i.e. the functionality or how it works and allow you to stop third parties from making, using or selling your invention for a certain period depending on the type of invention. Registration at National level
• Registered design - protects the appearance of an article and stop third parties from making the same
• Trademarks - protect the name of your product by preventing other business from selling a product under the same name
• Copyright - informs others that you as the author intend to control the production, distribution, display or performance of your work. Copyright is granted automatically, with no need for formal registration. You can start using the copyright symbol immediately.

TRADEMARK

​If you do business in more than one EU country, you could think on a european solution, that give you protection in the 28 Member States of the EU, in only one single registration. 

1. For the European Union trade mark click here
2. For registering a Community design, click here

give you protection in the 28 Member States of the EU, just in one single registration. You can register your trade mark or design in any of 23 EU languages with a single application at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). An online application costs € 850 for a trade mark and € 350 for a Community design.

If you are looking for more information on costs and procedures from IP Offices in 30 European countries available here.

PATENT

You can apply for a national patent at a patent office in an EU country or for a European patent through the European Patent Office (EPO). However, a European patent needs to be validated by the national patent office in each country where protection is required. Depending on the country's law, you may have to provide translations or pay fees by a certain date.

Check the procedure in your Country and consult the IP Office:

AUSTRIA

DE

Mit dem Tag der Erteilung des Patentes (d. i. Veröffentlichung im Amtsblatt und Ausgabe der Patentschrift) entsteht das Schutzrecht, das längstens 20 Jahre ab dem Anmeldetag wirksam ist.

Zur Aufrechterhaltung des Patents sind in den Mitgliedstaaten nach der Erteilung und nach den nationalen Bestimmungen Jahresgebühren zu entrichten (z.B. in Österreich frühestens ab dem 6. Jahr - vgl.).
​
Wurde das europäische Patent in deutscher Sprache erteilt, sind vom Anmelder keine weiteren Handlungen zu setzen; das Patent wird mit der Erteilung für Österreich wirksam.
Wurde das Patent in einer der beiden anderen Amtssprachen (Englisch, Französisch) erteilt, ist innerhalb einer Frist von drei Monaten ab dem Erteilungstag und unter Zahlung der entsprechenden Veröffentlichungsgebühren eine Übersetzung der Europäischen Patentschrift beim Österreichischen Patentamt einzureichen. Gleiches gilt auch für Patentschriften, die später aufgrund von Einspruchs- und Beschränkungsverfahren in geänderter Fassung herausgegeben werden (Veröffentlichungsgebühren s. S.2). Die Übersetzung wird sodann vom Österreichischen Patentamt veröffentlicht.
Wird innerhalb der genannten Frist keine Übersetzung vorgelegt, gelten die Wirkungen des Patents als in Österreich von Anfang an nicht eingetreten.
Ergänzend sei darauf hingewiesen, dass Wohnsitzausländer eines berufsmäßigen Parteienvertreters bedürfen; liegt der Wohnsitz allerdings im EWR, genügt die Namhaftmachung eines inländischen Zustellungsbevollmächtigten.

EN

The patent protection applies as of the date when the patent is granted (i.e. when the patent is issued and published in the Official Gazette), and is valid for a maximum of 20 years from the date when the application is filed.

To renew the patent once it has been issued, annual fees are payable in the EU countries under national legislation. E.g:. in Austria after 6 years at the earliest - see here for more information.

If the European Patent was issued in German, the applicant need take no further action; the patent will be valid in Austria when it is issued.

If the European Patent was issued in one of the other two official languages (English or French), a translation must be sent to the Austrian Patent Office within 3 months of the date of issue, and the corresponding publication fees will be payable. The same applies to patents subsequently amended as a result of opposition and limitation procedures. Information on publication fees is available here. The translation is then published by the Austrian Patent Office.

If no translation is submitted within the specified deadline, the patent is considered not to have had any effect in Austria from the outset.

It is also worth noting that persons resident outside Austria require a professional representative; however, if the person resides in the EEA, the appointment of an agent in Austria is sufficient.
​

BELGIUM

FR
La procédure de validation nationale d'un brevet européen comporte les étapes suivantes:

1. L'Office européen des brevets (OEB) délivre un brevet européen qui désigne la Belgique.
2. L'OEB annonce la délivrance du brevet européen dans son bulletin et met la publication B1 du brevet à la disposition du public.
3. En Belgique, la validation du brevet européen dépend de la langue de la publication B1:
   • si la publication B1 est rédigée en français ou en allemand, le brevet européen entre directement en vigueur en Belgique;
   • si la publication B1 est rédigée en anglais, le titulaire du brevet doit en soumettre une traduction dans une langue nationale de la Belgique à l' Office belge de la Propriété intellectuelle (OPRI), dans les trois mois suivant la publication de la délivrance du brevet européen.
4. Pour que le brevet européen reste en vigueur en Belgique, son titulaire doit payer une taxe annuelle à l'OPRI (la durée maximale d'un brevet européen est de 20 ans à compter de la date de dépôt de la demande de brevet).

À l'heure actuelle, la Belgique n'applique pas de taxe pour la validation des brevets européens. Le montant de la taxe annuelle pour les brevets européens validés en Belgique figure dans ce document .
​

NL
De procedure voor de nationale validering van een Europees octrooi bestaat uit de volgende stappen:

1. Het Europees Octrooibureau (EOB) verleent een Europees octrooi (EP) voor België.
2. Het EOB publiceert de octrooiverlening in het EP-Mededelingenblad en maakt de B1-publicatie beschikbaar voor het grote publiek.
3. De validering van het Europees octrooi in België hangt af van de taal van de B1-publicatie:
   • Indien de B1-publicatie in het Frans of Duits is, treedt het Europees octrooi automatisch in werking in België.
   • Is de B1-publicatie in het Engels, dan moet de houder binnen drie maanden na de publicatie van de octrooiverlening een vertaling ervan in een van de Belgische landstalen indienen bij de Dienst voor de Intellectuele Eigendom (DIE).
4. Om ervoor te zorgen dat het Europees octrooi in België geldig blijft, moet de octrooihouder elk jaar een verlengingsvergoeding aan de Dienst voor de Intellectuele Eigendom betalen (de maximale geldigheidsduur van een EP is 20 jaar vanaf de datum waarop de octrooiaanvraag is ingediend).

Momenteel is het valideren van een Europees octrooi in België gratis. Jaarlijkse verlengingsvergoedingen voor in België gevalideerde Europese octrooien
​

DE
Das Verfahren für die nationale Validierung eines Europäischen Patents umfasst folgende Schritte:

1. Das Europäische Patentamt erteilt ein Europäisches Patent, in dem Belgien benannt wird.
2. Es gibt die Erteilung des Europäischen Patents in seinem Patentblatt bekannt und veröffentlicht die Europäische Patentschrift B1.
3. Die Validierung des Europäischen Patents in Belgien hängt davon ab, in welcher Sprache die Patentschrift B1 veröffentlicht wird:
   • Bei Veröffentlichung in Französisch oder Deutsch tritt das Patent automatisch in Belgien in Kraft.
   • Bei Veröffentlichung in Englisch muss der Patentinhaber innerhalb von drei Monaten nach Veröffentlichung der Patenterteilung durch das Europäische Patentamt eine Übersetzung der Patentschrift in eine Amtssprache Belgiens beim belgischen Amt für geistiges Eigentum (OPRI) einreichen.
4. Um die Gültigkeit seines Europäischen Patents in Belgien aufrechtzuerhalten, muss der Patentinhaber eine jährliche Gebühr an das OPRI entrichten. Die maximale Gültigkeitsdauer eines Europäischen Patents beträgt 20 Jahre ab dem Datum der Antragstellung.

Die Validierung Europäischer Patente ist in Belgien derzeit nicht gebührenpflichtig. Jährliche Aufrechterhaltungsgebühren für in Belgien validierte Europäische Patente
​

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. The European Patent Office (EPO) grants a European patent (EP) which designates Belgium.
2. The EPO publishes the grant of the EP patent in its Bulletin and makes the B1 publication of the EP patent available to the public.
3. The validation of the EP in Belgium depends of the language of the B1 publication:
   • If the B1 publication is in French or German, the EP patent automatically enters into force in Belgium.
   • If the B1 publication is in English, the patent holder has to file a translation of the B1 publication in a Belgian national language with the Belgian Intellectual Property Office (OPRI) within 3 months from the date of publication of the EP patent grant.
4. In order to keep the EP patent into force in Belgium, the patent holder has to pay each year a renewal fee to OPRI (the maximal duration of an EP patent is 20 years from the date of filing of the EP patent application).

Currently, there is no validation fee for a European patent in Belgium. The annual maintenance fees for European patents validated in Belgium are available in this document.

BULGARIA

BG
Процедурата, която се следва при национално валидиране на Европейски патент се състои от следните стъпки:

1. В срок от три месеца от датата на публикуване на съобщението за издаване на европейския патент в Европейския патентен бюлетин притежалелят следва да подаде в Патентното ведомство на Република България искане за валидизиране на европейския патент за територията на Република България, заедно с превод на описанието и претенциите, включително заглавието на изобретението и всички чертежи, на български език. Преводът следва да бъде представен в три идентични екземпляра.
2. Такса за публикация трябва да бъде платена в деня на подаване на искането за валидизация на издадения европеййски патент.
3. Таксите за поддържане на действието на патента се заплащат на Патентното ведомство на Република България за всяка патентна година, следваща годината, в която Европейското патентно ведомство е публикувало съобщението за издаване на европейския патент.
4. Патентопритежатели, които нямат постоянен адрес или седалище на дейност на територията на Република България, са длъжни да извършват действията пред Патентното ведомство чрез местен представител по индустриална собственост.
5. Срокът на действие на европейския патента е 20 години от датата на подаване на заявката в Европейското патентно ведомство.

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Within 3 months from the date of publication of the mention for the grant of European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, the owner shаll file with the Patent Office of Republic of Bulgaria, a request for validation in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria together with a Bulgarian translation of the description and the claims, including title of the invention and any drawings in 3 copies.
2. The publication fee shall be paid on the date of filing the request for validation.
3. European patent annuities shall be paid to the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria for each patent year following the year in which the European Patent Office publishes the mention of the grant of the European patent.
4. Owners with no permanent address or main place of business in the Republic of Bulgaria shall be required to act in proceedings before the Patent Office through a local industrial property representative.
5. The term of validity of the European patent shall be 20 years from the date of filing of the application with the European Patent Office.

CROATIA

HR
Postupak koji se primjenjuje prilikom nacionalnog ovjeravanja europskog patenta sastoji se od sljedećih koraka:

1. zahtjev za ovjeru u roku od tri mjeseca od objave europskog patenta u Glasniku Europskoga patentnog ureda
2. plaćanje pristojbi
3. podnošenje specifikacije patenta na engleskom jeziku i prijevoda zahtjeva na hrvatski jezik
4. ovjera i registracija ovjerenog patenta u Hrvatski registar
5. objava prijevoda zahtjeva specifikacije europskog patenta na hrvatski jezik

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Request for validation within 3 months from the publication of a European patent in the EPO Bulletin
2. Payment of fees
3. Submission of the patent specification in English and of the claims' translation into Croatian
4. Validation and registration of the validated patent into the Croatian Register
5. Publication of a translation into Croatian of the claim of the European patent specification

CYPRUS

EL

Για την επικύρωση ενός ευρωπαϊκού διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας στην Κύπρο πρέπει:

• Να συμπληρώσετε τη σχετική αίτηση για ευρωπαϊκό δίπλωμα ευρεσιτεχνίας ( έντυπο Π17) και να την υποβάλετε στον Έφορο Εταιρειών εντός τριών μηνών από την ημερομηνία χορήγησης του διπλώματος. Αυτή η αίτηση συνοδεύεται από τα παρακάτω έγγραφα:
• Τις πλήρεις προδιαγραφές του ευρωπαϊκού διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας (Β1) στα αγγλικά, γαλλικά ή γερμανικά
• Τις πλήρεις προδιαγραφές του ευρωπαϊκού διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας (Β1) μεταφρασμένες στα ελληνικά
• Υπεύθυνη δήλωση με την οποία βεβαιώνεται ότι η ελληνική μετάφραση των προδιαγραφών του ευρωπαϊκού διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας (Β1) έχει υπογραφεί από πρωτοκολλητή δικαστηρίου.
• Να συντάξετε εξουσιοδότηση ( έντυπο Π8) με την οποία διορίζετε δικηγόρο που ασκεί το επάγγελμα στην Κύπρο (μέλος του δικηγορικού συλλόγου Κύπρου) να ενεργεί ως αντιπρόσωπος του αιτούντος
• Να καταβάλετε τέλος κατάθεσης ύψους 100 ευρώ

EN

​​To validate a European patent in Cyprus you must:

• Fill out and file a European Patent application form (form P17el) with the Registrar within three months of the grant date. This form includes the following documents:
• The complete European Patent Specification (B1) in English, French or German
• The complete European Patent Specification (B1) translated into Greek
• An affidavit attesting the translation into Greek of the European Patent Specification (B1) has been signed by a Court Registrar.
• Assign the power of attorney (form P8el) authorising a lawyer practicing in Cyprus (Member of the Cyprus Bar Association) to act as the representative of the applicant
• Pay the filing fee of EUR 100

CZECH REPUBLIC

CS

Pokud chcete, aby byl váš evropský patent validován v České republice, musíte učinit následující:

1. Předat český překlad patentového spisu Úřadu průmyslového vlastnictví České republikyen ve lhůtě 3 měsíců od data zmíněného výše.
2. Uhradit správní poplatek za zveřejnění překladu patentového spisu.

Úřad průmyslového vlastnictví:

1. Oznámí vydání vašeho evropského patentu ve věstníku ÚPV .
2. Zveřejní překlad patentového spisu.
3. Zapíše váš evropský patent do českého rejstříku evropských patentů, přičemž použije údaje zapsané v evropském patentovém rejstříku.

EN

To have your European patent validated in the Czech Republic, you must do the following:

1. Submit a Czech translation of the patent specification to the Czech Industrial Property Office - within 3 months of the date mentioned above.
2. Pay the administrative fee for the publication of this translation .

The Industrial Property Office will:
​
1. Announce the issue of your European patent in the IPO Bulletin.
2. Publish the translation.
3. Record your European patent in the Czech Register of European patents, using the data recorded in the European Patent Register.

DENMARK

DA

Validering af europæiske patenter bliver håndteret af Patent- og Varemærkestyrelsenen , e-mailadresse: [email protected], tlf.: +45 43 50 80 00.
Ansøgningen kan indgives personligt, pr. e-mail eller elektronisk gennem Patent- og Varemærkestyrelsens engelsksprogede hjemmeside, hvor der også findes en udførlig skridt for skridt-guide. Læs mere her.

1. Inden for tre måneder fra Den Europæiske Patentmyndigheds (EPO's) bekendtgørelse af patenttildelingen skal der indgives en oversættelse af patentansøgningen. Ansøgningen skal indeholde:
   • opfindelsens titel på engelsk eller dansk
   • en beskrivelse med eventuelle tegninger på engelsk eller dansk
   • fotografier og sekvenslister på engelsk eller dansk
   • patentkravene på dansk
   • patentets nummer samt patenthavers navn og adresse på engelsk eller dansk.
2. Der skal betales et gebyr på 2 000 kroner for oversættelse af det europæiske patentskrift. Derudover skal de årlige fornyelsesgebyrer betales inden for 3 måneder fra datoen for Den Europæiske Patentmyndigheds offentliggørelse af tildelingen af det europæiske patent. Læs mere heren.

Genoprettelse efter Patentlovens § 72
Hvis man overskrider fristen for validering på tre måneder fra offentliggørelsesdatoen, er det muligt at søge om genoprettelse af retten til at validere. Der kan senest søges om genoprettelse to måneder efter bortfaldet af den hindring, der gjorde, at man ikke kunne validere rettidigt – dog senest et år fra udløbet af valideringsfristen.
For at få genoprettet retten til at validere er det en betingelse, at man foretager den undladte handling. Det vil i dette tilfælde sige, at man indgiver en ansøgning om at validere og betaler publiceringsgebyret samt et gebyr for genoprettelsen. Såfremt de formelle betingelser er opfyldt, gives der en frist for at redegøre for, at man som ansøger har udvist al den omhu, som med rimelighed kunne kræves.

EN

​European patents are validated by the Danish Patent and Trademark Office, e-mail: [email protected], telephone: +45 43 50 80 00.
It is possible to submit the application in person, by e-mail or electronically, using the English-language version of the Patent and Trademark Office website, which also features a detailed step-by-step guide. For more details, see hereda.

1. A translation of the patent application must be submitted within 3 months from the publication of the patent grant by the European Patent Office (EPO). The application must include the following:
   • The title of the invention in English or Danish;
   • A description in English or Danish including any drawings;
   • Photographs and sequencing lists in English or Danish;
   • The claims in Danish
   • The patent number and the name and address of the proprietor in English or Danish.
2. A fee of DKK 2 000 must be paid for the translation of the of European patent specifications' publication. In addition, the annual renewal fees must be paid within 3 months from the date the European Patent Office published the grant of the European patent. For more details, see here.

Re-establishment of rights under Section 72 of the Patents Act
If the validation time limit of 3 months from the date of the grant publication is exceeded, a request may be made for re-establishment of the right to validate. Re-establishment may be requested within 2 months from the removal of the obstacle which prevented validation from taking place on time, but no later than one year after the expiry of the validation time limit.
The condition for re-establishing the right to validate is that the omission is rectified. In this case, an application for validation must be submitted and the publication fee paid together with a fee for the re-establishment of rights. Provided that the formal requirements are met, a time limit is set for the applicant to demonstrate that all due diligence was exercised.

ESTONIA

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Submit translation of the European Patent into Estonian.
2. Submit completed request for conversion of the European patent application/patent into a national application (request form in DOC format , request form in PDF format ).
3. Submit receipt confirming payment of the state fee.
   

ET
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Submit translation of the European Patent into Estonian.
2. Submit completed request for conversion of the European patent application/patent into a national application (request form in DOC format , request form in PDF format ).
3. Submit receipt confirming payment of the state fee.
   

FINLAND

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. A European patent is granted when the European Patent Office (EPO) has announced it in the European Patent Bulletin.
2. In order to formalize the European patent in Finland, the patent holder has to pay a publication fee to the Finnish Patent and Registration Office
3. The patent holder should also submit a translation of patent demands and the Finnish name of the invention.
4. Payment and translations should be sent within 3 months from EPO's announcement.
5. The Finnish Patent and Registration Office announces the publication of the patent in The Trademark Gazette.

Information on fees for validating a European patent (EP) in Finland

FI
Eurooppapatentti saatetaan voimaan Suomessa seuraavasti:

1. Eurooppapatentti on myönnetty, kun Euroopan patenttivirasto (EPO) on kuuluttanut patentin myöntämisestä Euroopan patenttilehdessä (European Patent Bulletin).
2. Jotta patentti tulee voimaan Suomessa, patentinhaltijan on maksettava julkaisumaksu Patentti- ja rekisterihallitukselle (PRH).
3. Patentinhaltijan on lisäksi annettava suomenkielinen käännös patenttivaatimuksista ja keksinnön nimityksestä.
4. Julkaisumaksu ja käännökset on toimitettava kolmen kuukauden kuluessa EPO:n kuulutuksesta.
5. PRH kuuluttaa patentin julkaisusta Patenttilehdessään.

Eurooppapatentin voimaansaattamiseen liittyvät maksut Suomessa

FRANCE

EN
The European patent takes effect automatically in France, regardless of the language of filing, if the grant was published in the European Patent Bulletin after May 1st, 2008. It is not necessary to provide a translation into French.
The patent is then valid in France for a period of 20 years from the date of filing the application for a European patent, for an annual fee of EUR 36.

FR
Le brevet européen prend automatiquement effet en France, quelle que soit la langue de dépôt, si sa délivrance a été publiée au Bulletin européen des brevets après le 1er mai 2008. Il n'est donc pas nécessaire de fournir une traduction en français.
Il est alors valable en France pour une période de 20 ans, à compter de la date de dépôt de la demande de brevet européen, moyennant un paiement annuel de 36 euros.

GERMANY

DE
Die Validierung eines europäischen Patents in Deutschland erfordert grundsätzlich keine besonderen Schritte.
Erleichterungen seit dem 1.Mai 2008:

• Es braucht keine Übersetzung mehr eingereicht zu werden,
• dementsprechend wird auch keine Gebühr für deren Veröffentlichung fällig.

Ausnahme:
Fremdsprachige europäische Patente,

• für die der Hinweis auf die Erteilung vor dem 1. Mai 2008 im Europäischen Patentblatt veröffentlicht worden ist, und
• die das Europäische Patentamt (EPA) im Einspruchsverfahren in geänderter Fassung aufrechterhalten oder im Beschränkungsverfahren beschränkt hat.

Für diese Patente muss innerhalb von drei Monaten nach der Veröffentlichung dieser Entscheidung eine deutsche Übersetzung beim Deutschen Patent- und Markenamt (DPMA) eingereicht und die Veröffentlichungsgebühr in Höhe von 150 Euro entrichtet werden.

​Umfassende Übersicht zu den jeweiligen nationalen Validierungserfordernissen:
Broschüre Nationales Recht zum EPÜ (Tabelle IV) des Europäischen Patentamts (EPA)
​

EN
In principle, you do not need to take any special steps to have a European patent validated in Germany.
Simplifications since 1 May 2008:

• you no longer have to provide a translation,
• so there is no charge for its publication.

Exception:
European patents in foreign languages,

• for which the mention of the grant of the patent was published in the European Patent Bulletin before 1 May 2008, and
• which the European Patent Office (EPO) has upheld with amendments in opposition proceedings or limited in limitation proceedings.

For these patents, you must send the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) a German translation and the EUR 150 publication fee within three months of publication of this decision.

Comprehensive overview of the respective national validation requirements:
National law relating to the EPC booklet (Table IV) produced by the European Patent Office (EPO)

GREECE

EL
Για να επικυρώσετε το ευρωπαϊκό σας δίπλωμα ευρεσιτεχνίας στην Ελλάδα, πρέπει να κάνετε τα εξής:

• να υποβάλετε στον Ελληνικό Οργανισμό Βιομηχανικής Ιδιοκτησίας (OBI), εντός 3 μηνών από την ημερομηνία δημοσίευσης, μετάφραση των προδιαγραφών του διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας, στον ακόλουθο σύνδεσμο: https://efiling.obi.gren
• να καταβάλετε το διοικητικό τέλος για τη δημοσίευση της μετάφρασης·
• εάν χρειάζεται, να επισυνάψετε πληρεξούσιο που επιτρέπει την εκπροσώπηση από Έλληνα δικηγόρο·
• να ορίσετε εκπρόσωπο στην Ελλάδα, ο οποίος θα μεριμνά για την τεκμηρίωση, σε περίπτωση που είστε μη μόνιμος κάτοικος ή αν η επιχείρησή σας βρίσκεται εκτός Ελλάδας·
• να καταβάλλετε τα ετήσια τέλη ανανέωσης για να διατηρηθούν τα δικαιώματα ευρεσιτεχνίας που προστατεύονται.

​​

EN
To have your European patent validated in Greece, you must do the following:

• Submit a Greek translation of the patent specification to the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) – within 3 months of the date of publication, at the following link: https://efiling.obi.gr
• Pay the administrative fee for the publication of the translation.
• If needed, grant power of attorney authorising representation from a Greek attorney.
• Designate a representative in Greece who will take care of the documentation if you are a non-resident or if your business is located outside of Greece.
• Pay annual renewal fees in order to maintain your patent rights protected.

HUNGARY

HU
Európai szabadalom az európai szabadalmak engedélyezéséről szóló 1973.október 5-i Müncheni Egyezmény (a továbbiakban: Egyezmény) alapján megadott szabadalom. Európai szabadalmi bejelentést közvetlenül az Európai Szabadalmi Hivatalnál (ESZH), illetve Magyarországon a Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatalánál lehet tenni.

Az Európai szabadalmi bejelentés nemzeti jóváhagyásának folyamata a következő lépésekből áll:

1. Az európai szabadalmi bejelentést az Egyezményben előírt bármely nyelven be lehet nyújtani a Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatalánál, feltéve, hogy a bejelentés magyar nyelven vagy az Európai Szabadalmi Hivatal bármelyik hivatalos nyelvén készült, illetve utalást tartalmaz az európai szabadalom iránti igényre, illetve a bejelentő azonosítására alkalmas, vagy a bejelentővel való kapcsolatfelvételt lehetővé tevő adatis fellelhető benne. A benyújtás elektronikus úton is intézhető.
2. Az európai szabadalmi bejelentés közzétételét követően a Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatala is megtekinthetővé teszi annak közzétett tartalmát, és hozzáférést biztosít az európai szabadalmi nyilvántartásnak az európai szabadalmi bejelentésre vonatkozó bejegyzéseihez
3. Az európai szabadalmi bejelentés közzétételével akkor keletkezik Magyarországon – ideiglenes – szabadalmi oltalom, amikor a Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatala a hivatalos lapjában közölte a hatósági tájékoztatást az igénypontok magyar nyelvű fordításának benyújtásáról. Ezt az SZTNH a bejelentő kérésére közzéteszi, amennyiben az igénypontok magyar fordítása (díjeköteles, 2 hónapon belül meg kell fizetni) rendelkezésre áll, és megfelel a kérelem az alaki követelményeknek. A díjfizetési kötelezettségek és a hiánypótlási felhívásokban foglaltak be nem tartása automatikusan jogvesztést, a kérelem visszavontnak nyilvánosítását okozza.
4. Az SZTNH külön jegyzékben tünteti fel, hogy az európai szabadalmi bejelentés közzétételével az ideiglenes oltalom keletkezett. Ezt a jegyzék nyilvános, bárki megtekintheti.

A vonatkozó magyar, EU-s és nemzetközi szabályozás elérhető ezen hivatkozásra kattintva.
A szabadalmakkal, jogvédelemmel kapcsolatban a Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatala szolgál további tájékoztatással.

Elérhetőségek:
H-1081 Budapest, II. János Pál pápa tér 7.
Tel.: (1) 312 4400, Fax: (1) 474 5534
E-mail: [email protected]

​EN
A European Patent is a patent issued in accordance with the Munich Convention on the Grant of European Patents of 5 October 1973 (‘the Convention'). A European patent application may be filed directly with the European Patent Office (EPO) or, in Hungary, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office.
The national approval of a European patent application consists of the following stages:

1. The European patent application may be submitted to the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office in any of the languages specified in the Convention, provided the application has been drawn up in Hungarian or one of the official languages of the European Patent Office, it includes a reference to the European patent claim, and it contains information enabling the applicant to be identified or contacted. The application may be filed electronically.
2. Once the European patent application is published, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office will make its published content available for consultation and grant access to the entries of the European Patent Register relating to the European patent application.
3. On publication of the European patent application, patent protection will be granted (temporarily) in Hungary once the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office officially notifies the submission of a Hungarian translation of the claims in the Official Gazette. It is published by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office at the applicant's request, provided a Hungarian translation of the claims is available (for a fee, to be paid within two months) and the application meets the formal requirements. Failure to pay the fee or to rectify deficiencies will result automatically in the right being forfeited and the application being declared withdrawn.
4. The Hungarian Intellectual Property Office will indicate in a separate register that temporary protection has been granted on publication of the European patent application. The register is public, it can be consulted by anyone.

The relevant Hungarian, EU and international rules are available under this link .
The Hungarian Intellectual Property Office can provide further information on patents and legal protection.

Contact details:
H-1081 Budapest, II. János Pál pápa tér 7.
Tel.: (1) 312 4400, Fax: (1) 474 5534
E-mail: [email protected]

ICELAND

EN
The European Patent Convention, EPC, enables the applicant, by means of a single application, to obtain a patent in most of the European countries. Iceland became a party to the Convention on 1 November 2004 and, as result, the procedure can be initiated in the Icelandic Patent Office.
The entire application procedure is handled by the European Patent Office (EPO). Once the EPO has granted a patent, it must be validated in the countries designated by the applicant through the payment of a renewal fee in each country and, in some cases, by paying national fees and submitting translations of parts of the patent.

European applications filed on 1 November 2004 or later apply automatically to Iceland if the applicant designates all Member States. The same applies to PCT applications where the EPO is designated.
When the EPO grants a patent, an announcement to such effect is published in the European Patent Bulletin.
Opposition to a European patent shall be filed with the EPO within 9 months of the granting of a patent. Appeals against final decisions issued by the EPO may be made to the Boards of appeal within 2 months of the issue of the decision. Violations of European patents valid in Iceland shall be subject to Icelandic laws. Icelandic courts are responsible for resolving such cases.
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:
The following must be filed with the Icelandic Patent Office within 4 months of the date EPO published notification of granting the patent in order to confirm a European patent in Iceland, cf. Article 77 of the Patents Act:

• Publication fee, as provided for in the list of fees
• An Icelandic translation of the patent claims
• In the event that the patent was granted in French or German, an Icelandic or English translation of the description and other parts of the patent must be filed (it is not necessary to file a translation of the description and other parts of the patent if the patent was granted in English)
• Information on the patent's number and the name and address of the patent holder

An applicant from a Member State does not need an agent with respect to the EPO. However, if an agent is appointed, such agent must be a specially trained representative who is registered with the EPO. Furthermore, applicants who do not reside in Iceland must have an agent to act on their behalf with respect to the Icelandic Patent Office, until the patents take effect in Iceland.
Requests for the validation of a European patent in Iceland (forms) and for the list of fees may be accessed through the Icelandic Patent Office.
​

IRELAND

EN
​The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Pay designation fee to European Patent Office (EPO) who will notify Irish Patents Office of patents granted
2. Irish Patents Office publishes details in its official journal
3. To maintain patent, pay annual renewal fee which falls due upon anniversary of date of filing with EPO

There are no translation requirements.

ITALY

IT
Allo scopo di conferire efficacia ad un brevetto europeo già rilasciato e designante l'Italia, occorre che il titolare fornisca:

1. la traduzione in lingua italiana dell'intero testo del brevetto europeo concesso, dichiarata conforme al testo originale dal titolare del brevetto;
2. il pagamento dei diritti di segretria di € 40,00 sul conto corrente postale della Camera di Commercio ricevente;
3. tre copie dell'allegato modulo debitamente compilato (contiene anche il domicilio eletto in Italia);
4. Detta traduzione deve essere depositata:

• direttamente presso le Camere di Commercio, con sede in tutti i capoluoghi di provincia che redigerà l'apposito verbale indicando la data di deposito; oppure
• potrà essere inviata per servizio postale all'Ufficio Italiano Brevetti e Marchi (Via Molise n.19 - 00187 ROMA- ITALIA), con modalità tale da assicurarne l'avviso di ricevimento ed in tale caso il versamento di € 40,00 per i diritti di segreteria.

La documentazione deve essere fornita entro il termine di 3 (tre) mesi a decorrere dalla data in cui nel bollettino Europeo dei brevetti e' pubblicata la menzione della concessione del brevetto.

EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. The whole text of the European patent must be translated into Italian
2. A 40 EUR fee (secretarial duties) must be paid
3. Three copies of this form must be duly filled (also stating the domicile in Italy) and attached to the request
4. The abovementioned documents can be deposited:

• At a Chamber of commerce (which has offices in chieftowns of each province) that will draft the record report indicating the date of deposit;
• Alternatively, it can be mailed to the Italian patent and trademark office ( Via Molise 19- 00187 Roma ITALY), providing proof of payment for the 40 EUR fee (secretariat duties)

The documentation must be provided within 3 months from the date of publication in the European bulletin of the granted patent.

LATVIA

LIECHTENSTEIN

​EN
The Principality of Liechtenstein and Switzerland form a patent union. The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property is the competent authority to carry out with effect for the unified territory of protection the administrative tasks deriving from the patent legislation, including the national validation of a European patent.

LITHUANIA

​EN
The Principality of Liechtenstein and Switzerland form a patent union. The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property is the competent authority to carry out with effect for the unified territory of protection the administrative tasks deriving from the patent legislation, including the national validation of a European patent.
​

To have your European patent validated in Lithuania, you must submit a Lithuanian translation of the patent to the Lithuanian State Patent Bureau.

• deadline - within 3 months of the decision to grant or maintain the patent (as amended) being published in the European Patent Bulletin.
• fees
  - initial 15 applications: EUR 46 each
  - subsequent applications after 15: EUR 60 each
  - amendments to an application: EUR 34.

LUXEMBOURG

DE
Wird Luxemburg in der Anmeldung eines Europäischen Patents als Vertragsstaat genannt, tritt das erteilte Patent dort automatisch in Kraft, unabhängig davon, in welcher Sprache es eingereicht wurde.
Eine Übersetzung in eine Amtssprache Luxemburgs ist nicht erforderlich.
Zur Aufrechterhaltung des europäischen Patents in Luxemburg sind lediglich die jährlichen Gebühren zu entrichten.
​

FR
Si une demande de brevet européen cite le Luxembourg parmi les États membres désignés, le brevet délivré est automatiquement applicable au Luxembourg, indépendamment de la langue de dépôt.
Il n'est pas nécessaire de fournir une traduction dans une des langues officielles du Luxembourg.
Il suffit d'acquitter les redevances annuelles nationales pour maintenir en vigueur le brevet européen au Luxembourg.

EN
If Luxembourg is part of the designated states in the European patent application, the granted patent is automatically in force in Luxembourg, independently of the filing language.
It is not required to file a translation into an official language in Luxembourg.
To maintain the European patent in force in Luxembourg, it is only necessary to pay the national annual fees.
​

MALTA

MT
Sabiex il-privattiva Ewropea tiegħek tiġi vvalidata f'Malta, għandek tagħmel dan li ġej:

1. Privattivi Ewropej bil-Franċiż jew bil-Ġermaniż
   
   Fi żmien 3 xhur minn meta tkun ħarġet il-privattiva, issottometti d-dokumenti li ġejjin lill-uffiċċju nazzjonali tal-privattivi Malti:
   - traduzzjoni bl-Ingliż tal-privattiva
   - kopja tad- dokument tal-ħruġ
   - il- formola tal-applikazzjoni rilevanti mimlija, li tista' ssibha fl- Uffiċċju PI Malti.

    
Tista' wkoll titlob estensjoni ta' xahrejn sabiex tissottometti t-traduzzjoni bi ħlas ta' tariffa stabbilita.

1. Privattivi Ewropej bl-Ingliż
   
   Dawn huma awtomatikament validi f'Malta.  Huwa f'idejk, bħala sid il-privattiva, li tiddeċiedi jekk tixtieqx iżżomm il-privattiva f'Malta l-ewwel darba li l-privattiva jkun imissha tiġġedded f'Malta. Jekk tagħmel hekk, għandek tissottometti lill-uffiċċju PI Malti:
   
   - il-formola tat-tiġdid (li tista' ssibha fl- Uffiċċju PI Malti).
   - it-tariffa tat-tiġdid/tal-manteniment.Jekk tonqos milli tħallas it-tariffa tal-manteniment sad-data dovuta, trid tħallasha - flimkien ma' penalità għall-ħlas tard - fi żmien is-sitt xhur ta' wara.
   Jekk tonqos milli tħallas it-tariffa tal-manteniment f'dan il-perjodu ekstra ta' 6 xhur, il-privattiva ma tkunx imġedda għas-sena ta' wara.

​

EN
To have your European patent validated in Malta, you must do the following:

1. European patents in French or German
   
   Within 3 months of the patent being issued, submit the following documents to the Maltese national patent office :
   - an English translation of the patent
   - a copy of the document granting the patent
   - the relevant completed application form which can be found at the Maltese IP Office.
   
   You can also request an extension of 2 months for submitting the translation, provided you pay the prescribed fee.
   
   
2. European patents in English
   
   These are automatically valid in Malta.  It is up to you, as the patent owner, to decide whether you wish to maintain the patent in Malta when it first becomes due for renewal . If you do, you must submit to the Maltese IP office:
   - the renewal form (which can be found at the Maltese IP Office).
   - the renewal/maintenance fee.
    If you fail to pay the maintenance fee by the due date, you must pay it - together with a late payment penalty - in the next 6 months .
   If you fail to pay the maintenance fee in this extra 6-month period, your patent will not be renewable for the next year .

NETHERLANDS

NL
Om uw Europees octrooi in Nederland te laten valideren, moet u binnen drie maanden nadat het is verleend, het volgende indienen bij het Octrooicentrum Nederland :

1. een Nederlandse vertaling van de oorspronkelijke Europese octrooiaanvraag
2. een Engelse of Nederlandse vertaling van de beschrijving als de oorspronkelijke octrooiaanvraag niet in het Engels was opgesteld
3. een administratieve taks van 25 euro

Heeft u binnen de termijn niet volledig aan deze eisen voldaan, dan is uw Europees octrooi niet geldig in Nederland. De termijn kan niet worden verlengd.

Meer over octrooiaanvragen in Nederland
​

EN
To have your European patent validated in the Netherlands, you must submit the following to the Netherlands Patent Office - within 3 months of the European patent being issued:

1. A Dutch translation of the original European patent application.
2. An English or Dutch translation of the description, if the original application was in a language other than English .
3. An administrative fee of EUR 25 .

If you do not do all of this within 3 months, your European patent will not take effect in the Netherlands. The 3-months term cannot be extended.

More on Dutch patent applications

NORWAY

NO

1. For at et meddelt europeisk patent skal gjelde i Norge, må Norge være utpekt ved meddelelse i den europeiske søknaden.
2. Når ditt europeiske patent er blitt meddelt av European Patent Office (EPO), kan det valideres i Norge. Dette forutsetter at følgende er innkommet til Patentstyret innen tre måneder fra den dag EPO meddelte patentet:
   • Patentkrav på norsk
   • Beskrivelse på norsk
   • Eventuell sekvensliste som er nødvendig for forståelsen av oppfinnelsen
   • Eventuelle tegninger som finnes i EP patentet, og oversettelse av tekst i tegningen til norsk
   • Benevnelse/tittel på norsk
   • Opplysning om søknadsnummer og/eller publiseringsnummer i EPO
   • Opplysninger om innehaverens navn og adresse
3. For validering i Norge må i tillegg følgende være innkommet:
   • Valideringsavgiften må være betalt innen fastsatt frist. Patentstyret fakturerer denne avgiften (medregnet sider til tegninger) med én måneds betalingsfrist. Sekvenslister er fritatt for sidegebyr
   • Både norske og utenlandske søkere eller patenthavere må registrere en adresse hos Patentstyret hvor meddelelser fra Patentstyret kan sendes. Hvis fullmektig benyttes må det leveres fullmakt.
4. Når patentet er offentliggjort i Norge, behandles det på samme måte som om det hadde vært et nasjonalt meddelt patent. Dette innebærer blant annet at du må betale årsavgifter til Patentstyret hvert år for å opprettholde patentet.

​

​
EN

1. To make your European patent valid in Norway, it is necessary to have designated Norway in your European patent application.
2. Once you have been granted a European patent by EPO, it may then be validated in Norway. The following documents should be submitted to the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) within three months from the day EPO granted the patent:
   • Patent claims in Norwegian
   • Description in Norwegian
   • Any sequence listings necessary to understanding the invention
   • Any drawings accompanying the EP patent, and a Norwegian translation of any text in the drawings
   • Title in Norwegian
   • Application number and/or publication number at EPO
   • Name and address of owner
3.   To validate your patent in Norway, the following conditions must also be met:
   • The validation fee must be paid within the prescribed time limit. You will receive an invoice for the amount (including pages with drawings and sequence listings) from NIPO with a one month deadline.
   • Norwegian and foreign applicants and patent owners are required to provide NIPO with an address to which notifications may be sent. If using an agent, a Power of Attorney must be submitted to NIPO (ref. Patent Act § 67).
4. Once the patent has been disclosed in Norway, the same regulations apply as for a national patent. This means that you must pay annual fees to NIPO every year to uphold the patent.

POLAND

PL

1. Dla skutecznej ochrony na terytorium RP, uprawniony z patentu europejskiego ma obowiązek złożyć tłumaczenie patentu europejskiego na język polski do Urzędu Patentowego RP w ciągu trzech miesięcy od daty opublikowania przez EPO informacji o udzieleniu patentu (B1).

Termin ten nie podlega przywróceniu.
Tłumaczenie obejmuje opis, zastrzeżenia patentowe oraz rysunki.
Osoby niemające miejsca zamieszkania lub siedziby na terytorium RP zobowiązane są działać przed UPRP za pośrednictwem rzecznika patentowego.

1. Po złożeniu tłumaczenia przeprowadzane jest badanie formalno-prawne mające na celu sprawdzenie, czy:

1. Rzeczypospolita Polska została wyznaczona jako kraj, w którym udzielono patentu europejskiego.
2. tłumaczenie zostało wniesione w terminie 3 miesięcy od daty opublikowania przez EPO informacji o jego udzieleniu
3. wraz z tłumaczeniem został nadesłany dokument pełnomocnictwa (jeśli tłumaczenie składane jest za pośrednictwem pełnomocnika)
4. tłumaczenie zostało złożone przez osobę uprawnioną, tzn. osobę, na rzecz której został udzielony patent europejski.

1. Urząd wzywa do wniesienia opłaty za druk i publikację. Kwota opłaty za publikację ustalana jest na podstawie ilości stron tłumaczenia. Jeżeli opis zawiera do 10 stron opłata będzie wynosić 90,00 zł. Za każdą dodatkową stronę UPRP pobiera 10,00 zł.

Wezwanie jest pierwszym kontaktem UPRP z klientem w danej sprawie, dlatego też zawiera stosowne pouczenia, a ponadto dane bibliograficzne np. tytuł wynalazku, wskazanie uprawnionego i twórcy, symbole MPK, dzięki czemu może być traktowane jako potwierdzenie prawidłowego złożenia tłumaczenia patentu europejskiego w UPRP.

1. Jeżeli tłumaczenie patentu europejskiego spełnia wymogi formalne, UPRP publikuje patent niezwłocznie. Publikacja dokonywana jest poprzez zamieszenie wzmianki o nadesłaniu tłumaczenia w Wiadomościach Urzędu Patentowego (WUP) oraz udostępnienie treści tłumaczenia w Internecie via Serwer Publikacji oraz do wglądu w czytelni ogólnej UPRP.
2. UPRP jest uprawniony do pobierania opłat za ochronę patentu europejskiego począwszy od roku ochrony następującego po roku ochrony, w którym EPO opublikowało informację o udzieleniu patentu europejskiego. Opłaty okresowe za kolejne lata ochrony uiszcza się w wysokości takiej samej, jak w przypadku patentów krajowych udzielonych przez Urząd Patentowy RP. Opłaty za ochronę chronionych na terytorium RP patentów europejskich należy wnosić na rachunek Urzędu Patentowego RP, tak jak w przypadku patentów krajowych, z góry, rok przed lub 6 miesięcy po rozpoczęciu kolejnego okresu ochrony (przy jednoczesnym uiszczeniu opłaty dodatkowej stanowiącej 30% opłaty za ochronę). Opłata dodatkowa (30%) nie jest wymagana, jeśli opłata za ochronę została wniesiona w ciągu 2 miesięcy od daty publikacji o udzieleniu patentu europejskiego (B1) (art. 141 ust. 2 Konwencji o patencie europejskim).

​

EN

1. To guarantee sufficient protection for a European patent in Poland, European patent holders must submit a Polish translation of a European patent to the Polish Patent Office within 3 months of the date of publication of the announcement that a European patent has been granted (B1).

This time limit cannot be extended.
The translation must include a specification, patent claims and drawings.

Any person not having their domicile or registered office in Poland may act before the Polish Patent Office only if represented by a patent attorney.

1. Once the translation has been submitted, a formal and legal examination is conducted to check whether:

1. Poland was designated as a country where the European patent was granted
2. the translation was submitted within 3 months of the date of publication of the European patent grant by the European Patent Office (EPO)
3. a power of attorney was sent together with the translation (if the translation is submitted by a representative)
4. the translation was submitted by a rights holder, i.e. a European patent holder.

1. The Patent Office asks rights holders to pay a fee for the printing and publication of the patent. The fee is based on the number of pages of the translation. If the specification does not exceed 10 pages, the fee is PLN 90. For each additional page, a fee of PLN 10 is charged.

Since the application constitutes the first contact between the Polish Patent Office and the client in a given case, it must include relevant instructions and bibliographical data (e.g. the name of the invention, the specification of the rights holder and the inventor, IPC symbols). This is required for it to be deemed a correct submission of the translation of the European patent to the Polish Patent Office.

1. If the translation meets formal requirements, the Polish Patent Office publishes the patent immediately. The submission of the translation is recorded in 'Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego', it is posted online via publication server and made available in the reading room of the Polish Patent Office, which is open to the public.
2. The Polish Patent Office is authorised to collect fees for the protection of the European patent, starting from the second year after the publication of the European patent grant by EPO. Renewal fees for subsequent years of protection are the same as for national patents granted by the Polish Patent Office. Fees for the protection of European patents in Poland should be paid in advance to the account of the Polish Patent Office (as with fees for national patents), one year before or 6 months after the beginning of the next protection period (together with an additional fee amounting to 30% of the renewal fee). The additional fee (30%) is not payable if the renewal fee was paid within 2 months of the publication of the European patent grant (B1) (see Article 141(2) of the European Patent Convention).

PORTUGAL

PT
Para validar uma patente europeia em Portugal:
1. Traduzir a patente para português.
2. Apresentá-la ao Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI). Esta apresentação pode ser feita através da Internet.

EN
To validate a European patent in Portugal:
1. Have it translated into Portuguese.
2. Submit it to the Portuguese Industrial Property Institute, INPI. This can be done online.

ROMANIA

RO
Pentru a valida un brevet european in Romania, detinatorul brevetului trebuie sa:

1. Depuna la Oficiul Roman pentru Inventii si Marci (OSIM) o traducere a specificatiilor brevetului si sa plateasca taxa de publicare, in termen de 3 luni de la data publicarii brevetului in Buletinul European de BreveteDaca nu depune traducerea in termen de 3 luni, exista o perioada de gratie de inca 3 luni in care se poate depune traducerea la OSIM cu achitarea unei taxe suplimentare.
2. OSIM va publica traducerea in limba romana a specificatiilor brevetului european in Buletinul Oficial de Proprietate Industriala
3. OSIM trebuie sa certifice validitatea brevetului european in Romania

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EN

As the patent owner, to validate a European patent in Romania you have to:

1. Provide the Romanian Patent Office (OSIM) with a Romanian translation of the patent specification and pay the statutory publication fee, within 3 months of the date on which the European patent is published in the European Patent Bulletin.Should you fail to supply the translation within 3 months, you can still file the translation with OSIM within a further 3-month period, provided that you pay an additional fee.
2. OSIM will publish the Romanian translation of the specification of the European patent in its Official Industrial Property Bulletin.
3. OSIM must certify that a European patent is valid in Romania.

SLOVAKIA

SK

• Duševné vlastníctvo
• Právo priemyselného vlastníctva
• Právo duševného vlastníctva

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EN

• Patents
• Act No. 435/2001 Coll. on Patents, Supplementary Protection Certificates and on Amendment of Some Acts as Amended (The Patent Act)​

SLOVENIA

SL
Za potrditev evropskega patenta v Sloveniji morate Uradu RS za intelektualno lastnino predložiti:

• prevod v slovenščino izvirne evropske patentne prijave (v 3 mesecih po podelitvi evropskega patenta).
• pristojbino za objavo v višini 100 EUR.

Urad RS za intelektualno lastnino bo patent odobril in ga dodal v register patentov. Prevod bo objavljen tudi na spletni strani Urada. ​ ​

EN
To have your European patent validated in Slovenia, you must submit the following to the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office:

• A Slovenian translation of the original European patent application (within 3 months of the European patent being issued).
• A publication fee of EUR 100.

The Slovenian Intellectual Property Office will approve the patent and add it in the patent register. The translation will also be published on their website. ​

SPAIN

ES
El procedimiento para la validación de una patente europea consta de las siguientes etapas:

1. Traducir la patente europea al español.
2. Pagar las tasas prescritas.
3. Cumplimentar el formulario TPEDE (siglas de Traducción de una Patente Europea que Designa a España).
4. Enviar los documentos siguientes a la Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas (OEPM):

• justificante del pago de las tasas
• traducción de la patente europea
• formulario TPEDE debidamente cumplimentado

Para mantener la validez de la patente europea a lo largo del tiempo, hay que pagar una tasa anual.

Más información sobre los requisitos de traducción, las tasas y otras cuestiones.
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EN
The procedure to follow for national validation of a European patent consists of the following steps:

1. Translate the European patent into Spanish.
2. Pay the prescribed fees.
3. Fill in the TPEDE form.
4. Send the following documents to the Spanish patent and trademark office (OEPM) :

• the proof of payment
• the translation of the European patent
• the TPEDE form duly filled in

In order to maintain the European patent's validity over time, an annual fee has to be paid.

More information on translation requirements, fees and other issues (in Spanish).

SWEDEN

SV
Så här går du tillväga för att få ett europeiskt patent validerat i Finland:

1. Ett europeiskt patent är beviljat när Europeiska patentverket har kungjort det i Europeiska patenttidningen.
2. För att ett europeiskt patent ska träda i kraft i Finland ska patenthavaren betala en publiceringsavgift till Patent- och registerstyrelsen i Finland.
3. Patenthavaren ska också lämna in en översättning av patentkraven och benämningen på uppfinningen på finska.
4. Betalningen ska göras och översättningarna lämnas in inom tre månader efter Europeiska patentverkets kungörelse.
5. Patent- och registreringsstyrelsen meddelar publiceringen av patentet i Patenttidningen.

Information om avgifter för att validera ett europeiskt patent i Finland
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EN
Requirements for the patent to be validated in Sweden:
Within three months of EPO publishing its decision to grant a patent, the following must have been submitted to the Swedish Patent Registration Office (PRV):

• The patent claims in Swedish (In Sweden, the translated claims serve as information only. The text in the language of proceedings at the EPO alone defines the scope of the patent protection.)
• If the patent was granted in French or German the description in Swedish
• The title in Swedish
• The patent application's number
• The applicant's name and address
• The fee for publication of the patent claims

Once the patent has been published in Sweden, it is valid in the same way as were it a granted Swedish patent. This e.g. means that you must pay annual fees to PRV in order to renew your patent.
You will find more information at The Swedish Patent Registration Office (PRV)

UNITED KINGDOM

​​EN
In the UK there is no requirement for national validation of a European patent. From the date of publication in the European Patent Bulletin, a European patent automatically confers on its holder the same rights as would be conferred by a patent granted in the UK.

COPYRIGHT

When you create an original literary, scientific and artistic work, such as poems, articles, films, songs or sculptures, you are protected by copyright. Nobody apart from you has the right to make the work public or reproduce it.
In EU countries(In this case, the 28 EU member states ), copyright protects your intellectual property until 70 years after your death, or 70 years after the death of the last surviving author in the case of a work of joint authorship.
Outside of the EU, in any country which signed the Berne Convention, the duration of copyright protection can vary but it lasts until at least 50 years after the author's death.

If you want to prove the existence of your work at a certain point of time, a registration can be useful.
Copyright protection grants you the following exclusive rights:

• economic rights – guaranteeing you have control over your work and remuneration for its use through selling or licensing
• moral rights – usually protecting your rights to claim authorship (right of attribution) and to refuse a modification of your work (right of integrity)

For further information, consult the fact sheet on copyright from the European Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk(EHD).

How to obtain copyright protection

If you create literary, scientific and artistic work, you automatically have copyright protection, which starts from the moment you create your work, so you don't need to go through any formal application process.
However, you may need to advise other people that you are the author of that work. You can attach a copyright notice to your work – such as the "all rights reserved" text, or the © symbol – together with the year the work was created.

For more information on the specific rules for copyright protection in your EU country, check the FAQs on copyrightpublished by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

TRADE SECRETS

If you possess valuable information on technology or on any other aspect of your business, you can protect it as a trade secret if the following conditions are met:

• the information is not known either by the public at large or by the experts of the sector in question
• the information has commercial value
• you have taken steps to keep the information secret: for example, you keep it in safe storage and you have signed non-disclosure agreements(Written agreement establishing that the recipient of the information cannot disclose it to third parties)  with anyone that has access to it or with whom you have shared the information

What information can be covered by a trade secret?

Trade secrets can include a vast amount of information and know-how that is not protectable or cannot be protected properly through patents, such as:

• early-stage inventions
• manufacturing processes
• lists of suppliers and clients

Information protected by trade secrets can be strategic for the long-term, like recipes or chemical compounds, or for shorter periods, such as the results of a marketing study, a brand name, price and date of launching of a new product or the price offered in a bidding procedure.

How trade secret protection works

The fact that you have a trade secret does not mean that you have exclusive rights(The holder or holders of the IP can exclude anyone else from using the IP in question) over the information in question. If someone else develops the same information, he or she can use it freely.

However, you are protected against dishonest behaviour: for example, if someone accesses the documents related to your secret information without your authorisation, copies them for their personal use or gives them to someone else. You are also protected if someone breaches a non-disclosure agreement and makes the information available to someone else.
In situations of dishonest behaviour, you are entitled to damages and other remedies. For example, a court order can prohibit the use or further disclosure of the trade secret by the person who had acquired, used or disclosed the trade secret unlawfully.

​For further information, consult the factsheet on trade secrets by the European Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk(EHD).

DESIGN PROTECTION

You can request design protection for the appearance of the whole or a part of your product. Your design results from the features of the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and/or materials of your product.

If you create a new design which meets the requirements of novelty and individual character, then you may need to register it.

Two options:

1. Protect your design in one EU country: register the design at the relevant national IP office.

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1. Protect your design in Europe: when you do business in more than one EU country, you can protect your design with a Registered Community Design(RCD). You will pay EUR 350 for 5 years protection and you have to register your design with the European Union Intellectual Property Rights Office (EUIPO).

Register in Europe for short time? No fee.
If you only need protection for your design at EU level for a short period of time, such as 3 years, you can choose not to register your design and use an Unregistered Community Design (UCD) instead. You don't need to register or pay any fees. A UCD protects your design from the moment of public disclosure. After it expires you cannot renew it.

You can find out more about the registration that suits you at the design page of the European Union Intellectual Property Right Office (EUIPO).

N.B. In addition to the design protection, designs are also eligible for protection under copyright law if they fulfil the protection requirements for both: originality for copyright and novelty and individual character for design rights.
If you create an original design, your copyright protection starts immediately from the moment of the work's creation, without the need for any registration of your design.

​For international protection outside the EU, you should register your design at the World International Property Organisation (WIPO). It protects your rights in 67 countries.

WEBSITE DOMAINS

If you have a company and want to make it easier for your customers to find information about your business on the Internet, you can create a website.

You can access a website at its unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, a series of digits such as 136.173.60.59 or 91.194.202.11.
You will however also want a user-friendly, readable and memorisable domain name such as europarl.europa.eu or consilium.europa.eu

The domain name will be linked to the IP address; this way, when you type into a browser europarl.europa.eu you will be redirected to the IP address 136.173.60.59.

With a domain name registration, you acquire the right to use the domain name. The registration does not guarantee any special protection as intellectual property. However, if a domain name is similar to a trade markname, this could create IP infringement issues.

How to register a domain nameIf the name you want is available, you can register a domain name through an accredited registrar which offers the top-level extension you are looking for. There is a wide choice of extensions to choose from including country-specific or generic extensions:

• Generic top-level extensions: .com, .shop, .hotel
• Country-specific top-level extensions: .fr, .de

Depending on the type of extension you choose, eligibility criteria or rules may differ. After you choose the domain name and the top-level extension, you must pay a registration fee. The amount of money you have to pay depends on:

• how long you are registering the domain name for
• the associated services you choose, such as webhosting

If you own a business in any EU country you can also apply for the .eu top-level domain (TLD). You can check the availability of .eu domains on EURid. 

DATABASE PROTECTION

​If you have created a database that is accessible by electronic or other means – you can protect:

• the content, via a sui generis right(A right that recognises the investment that is made in compiling a database, even when this does not involve the creative aspect that is reflected by copyright)
• its structure, via a copyright

If your database meets the requirements for copyright and sui generis right protections, you can apply for both.

Protect your original database through copyright
If your database is an original intellectual creation, you can protect it through copyright, which guarantees you exclusive rights(The holder or holders of the IP can exclude anyone else from using the IP in question)to reproduce, adapt, distribute the database or any variation of it. With copyright, you protect the structure of your database and not its content.

Sui generis protection
If the structure of your database is not an original creation, you can still protect its content under the sui generis right(a right that recognises the investment that is made in compiling a database, even when this does not involve the creative aspect that is reflected by copyright).

To benefit from the sui generis database right, you or the maker of the database must be EU nationals or residents in the EU. To obtain sui generis protection you need to prove that you have made a substantial investment (financial, material and/or human) in either, obtaining, the verification or the presentation of the database content.

​The sui generis database right protects the content of your database. You or the maker of the database can prevent the extraction and/or reuse of the whole or a substantial part of the database's content. When you create the database and it meets the requirements for the sui generis protection, you are automatically granted this protection for 15 years, starting either from the creation date or from when the database was first made publicly available.

​If your product has a specific geographical origin and a reputation - a given quality or other characteristics of a product essentially attributable to it - you can protect it with a geographical indication (GI).
Geographical indications protect:

• agricultural products and foodstuffs
• spirit drinks
• wines
• aromatised wines

Your rights under geographical indication protection

Geographical indications protect your products against misuse or imitation of the registered name and guarantee the true origin of the product to your customers. These rules ensure you and all producers in the given geographical area have collective rights over the product, as long as certain requirements are met.

Quality schemes explained
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​Under EU quality schemes, the names of products for which an intrinsic link exists between product qualities or characteristics and geographical origin are protected. There are:

• Protected designations of origin (PDO) for agricultural products and foodstuffs, and wines
• Protected geographical indications (PGI) for agricultural products and foodstuffs and wines
• Geographical indications (GI) for spirit drinks and aromatised wines

Find out more about EU quality schemes.

Consult the list of product names that have either applied for protection or that are now registered as a PDO, PGI or GI.
See more information on geographical indication protection in your EU country:

See how to register the name of your product under an EU quality scheme.

LICENSING AND SELLING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES

If you own intellectual property (IP) you could grant rights of use to another legal person(An individual, company, or other entity which has legal rights and is subject to obligations), known as "licensing your IP". You may also wish to generate revenue by selling it, this is better known as "assigning" or "transferring" your IP.

Before negotiating a licensing or an assignment agreement

In certain cases, it may be useful to keep some information confidential, such as:

• the piece of IP concerned - for example, technology for which no patent application has been filed so far or another trade secret
• the licensing or the assignment agreement itself, especially its financial aspects

For this purpose, you should conclude a non-disclosure agreement(Written agreement establishing that the recipient of the information cannot disclose it to third parties) with the potential licensee or assignee.
You can also gather and assess information about your IP by submitting it to an IP due diligence investigation; a thorough examination of all aspects concerning your IP.

Licensing out of your IP

As a holder of intellectual property, you can negotiate a licensing agreement with another entity (licensee) that gives permission for it to use your intellectual property. You may have a single licensee (‘exclusive licence') or several licensees. If offering multiple licences, these can be open or limited in scope to particular industries or geographical areas (such as franchising).
In exchange, you (the licensor) get paid for giving permission, typically in the form of "royalties" defined as a percentage of the sales. You can also set the limits for the use of the IP (geographical scope, field of use, etc.).
In this case, you as licensor:

• keep your right over the IP, which means that there is no transfer of ownership
• remain responsible for the maintenance (and, the case being, prosecution) of the IP rights concerned

Although licensing agreements need to be prepared with the assistance of lawyers and IP professionals, there are some key IP clauses to be negotiated and included before signing the agreement.

How do you establish a licensing agreement? 

To establish a licensing agreement you should at least:

• put the agreement in writing
• clarify which IP rights exactly are concerned
• communicate the starting date, duration, and termination of the contract
• negotiate and mention in the agreement the financial compensation to be paid by the licensee to the licensor (e.g. possible lump sum, royalties, etc.)
• state the exclusivity or non-exclusivity of the license agreement
• mention all the conditions for the use of your IP
• define in which territories the licensee can use your IP

In some EU countries, you must register the licence agreement, usually at the national IP office.
For further information, check the factsheet on licence agreements by the European IPR Helpdesk.

Assignments: Selling your patents, trademarks and other IP

You can transfer the ownership of your intellectual property rights (patent, trade mark, copyright, etc.) by assigning/transferring your IP. With an IP assignment, you transfer all rights you initially possessed for the piece of intellectual property concerned.
When the IP assignment is finalised, you will have no further responsibility for that IP (such as paying renewal fees), nor will you benefit from any possible commercial success of the product or service concerned.
In addition, unless this is explicitly allowed in the assignment contract, you will not be able to further use the IP concerned (invention, trade mark, etc.), as long as it is protected.

How do you settle an IP assignment?

• Draft a written assignment, which you and the assignee must sign.
• Clearly specify and identify the IP that you want to transfer, for example indicating the registration number (if it is a registered IP).
• Negotiate and mention in the agreement the financial compensation to be paid by the assignee to you.
• Discuss possible warranties for specific details and include them in the agreement.
• Specify which law should be used to interpret the contract (for example, the law of your EU country) and the jurisdiction for any possible dispute settlement, whether an arbitration panel or a local court.
• Make sure you register the assignment at the relevant IP office if it is a legal requirement.

​For further information, check the factsheet on assignment agreements by the European IPR Helpdesk.

Infringement of intellectual property rights​

If you consider that your intellectual property rights have been infringed, there are different authorities you can contact.
For an alternative to a court, you can use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which can be cheaper and faster than a legal dispute in court.

Patent infringement

If someone uses your product or invention protected by a patent without authorisation, you can defend your right and take action. For infringements of national patents you can contact the competent national court.

Imitation of a branded good – Counterfeit products

If someone is selling a good bearing your trademark without your authorisation, you are the victim of counterfeiting.
Block suspicious products
If you suspect that certain goods infringe your intellectual property rights, you can request the competent national customsdepartment to detain these goods. To do so, follow the instruction on the TAXUD portal. For help completing the application, consult the manual on counterfeit.
To protect your products against counterfeit, register with the Enforcement Database of European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which puts you in direct communication with the relevant authorities.
If you are an EU company and you want to report a counterfeit in a country outside the EU(In this case, outside the 28 EU member states), you can use the Anti-Counterfeiting Rapid Intelligence System (ACRIS).

Identical or similar EU trade marks

If someone has registered asimilar or identical EU trade mark to yours, you can ask the European Union Intellectual Property Right Office (EUIPO) to cancel their registration. If the registration is still ongoing, you can oppose the application.
To find out more about your right and the procedures to follow, check the EUIPO page on enforcing your registered trade mark.

Infringement of trade secrets

In case of infringement of trade secrets, you can initiate a legal proceeding before a court. The outcome might be a court order prohibiting the infringer from using or further disclosing the trade secret and/or monetary compensation.

Dispute over domain names

If you find out that someone has deceivingly registered a domain name whose IP rights belong to you, such as:

• for one or more top-level extensions (like .eu, or .com.)
• a trade mark
• a trade name

​If then, this person tries to sell you such a domain, you are victim of cybersquatting. In domain name dispute cases, you can either go to court or make good use of non-judicial remedies including ICANN alternative proceedings. ​