EPO

General information

Valid Nice Classification – NCL 11-2017

Single EUTM application is valid in all 28 countries

No publication, granting fees

Procedure features:

More than 135 000 TMs are registered in EUIPO every year . Therefore, a trade mark should be registered for exact goods and services you work with (not for all in class). It allows saving time and money for oppositions and goods/services limitations.

The goods and services should be specified as accurately and precisely as possible.

Registration period – about 10 months from the application filing date.

Confirmation document – Certificate (on-line only).

Procedure

Step	Term	Official Notification
Application Filing	1 day	Notification with entry number, applicant name, filing date and time
Formal Examination	2 months after filing fees payment	Formal examination request Response to formal examination request – 2 months from date of reception
Examination on Absolute Ground for Refusal	after formal examination	Notification on provisional refusal Response to notification on provisional refusal – 2 months from date of reception
Publication	1 moth after examination on absolute ground for refusal	Notification on publication
Opposition period	3 months from publication date
Grant	1-3 months	Certificate and publicated trade mark

Requirements

1. Applicant information – full name / title and registered office / registration address.
2. Trademark images and/or verbal elements, etc.
3. Priority document must be submitted within 3 months from the application filing date.
4. Translation of the priority document into English (we prepare by ourselves) must be submitted within 3 months from the application filing date.
5. Power of Attorney (scanned copy without legalization).

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EPO

General information

Invention

Registration period – about 2-6 years from the application filing date.

Confirmation document – Certificate.

Term of validity – 20 years from the application filing date. Patent for invention can be extended in the Contracting State whose legislation provides the extension of the validity of the national patent for an invention.

What can be protected: device, method (process), substance, biotechnological product, usage of the device, method, substance, biotechnological product (use of the object for a new purpose).

Step	Term	Official Notification	Deadline
Application Filing	1 day	Notification with registration number, applicant name, date and time of filing	Direct filing with claiming priority – 12 months from priority date PCT national phase entry in EPO – 31 months from the priority date
Formal Examination	within 2-4 months from application filing date	Formal examination request / Notification on formal examination completion	Response to formal examination request – 2 months from date of reception
European Search	within 6 months from application filing date	European search report and Search opinion	Response to search opinion objections or filing declaration to proceed further with application – 6 months from date of reception
Substantive Examination	within 1-5 years after filing request for substantive examination	Substantive examination request / Decision on grant/refusal	Filing request for substantive examination – within 6 months from european search report publication date Response to substantive examination request – 4 months from date of reception
Publication and Grant	within 6 months after grant fees payment	Certificate	Payment of grant and publication fees – 4 months from reception of grant decision
Maintenance	annually	Invitation to pay annuity fees	Annuity fees depends on the number of contracting states, where patent is maintained

Requirements

1. Applicant information – full name / title and registered office.
2. Inventor information – full name and registration address.
3. Number of International publication (for PCT procedure) or application materials: claims, description, abstract, drawings (for non-PCT procedure; international application was not published).
4. Translation of the application into English, French or German (we prepare by ourselves) must be submitted within 2 months from the date of filing for non-PCT procedure and within 31 months from the priority date for PCT-procedure.
5. Power of Attorney (no legalization or notarization required) must be submitted within 2 months from the date of filing.
6. Certified copy of the priority application (if priority is claimed) must be submitted within 16 months from the date of filing.

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