The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their sworn translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary: The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs and appellations of origin is the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
Regarding copyright, and depending on the nature of the work, the competent offices are:
- Copyrighted works, in general: National Copyright Office (DNDA).
- Books: Argentina Book Chamber (CAL).
- Software: Chamber of Software and IT Service Companies (CESSI).
- Musical works: Argentine Society of Music Authors and Composers (SADAIC).
Finally, the competent authority for plant varieties is the Instituto Nacional de Semillas (INASE).
IPR applicants in Argentina do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Argentina, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the INPI, the Argentinian IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As a member of the Berne Convention, Argentina does not require a formal registration to provide protection to copyright works. The work will be automatically protected from the moment of creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions as a proof of ownership and of the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Argentine law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Argentina first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Argentina provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. In addition, Argentinian national law provides certain rights to the owner of an unregistered but used trade mark, as for instance the right to oppose. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Argentina.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, since 2017, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Argentina.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Contrary to Europe, the Argentine trade mark system is a single-class application system. Therefore, a separate trade mark application must be filed for each class of products or services, according to the Nice classification.
Example: if you intend to register your brand for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (classes 32 and 33, respectively) and t-shirts (class 25), you will need to file 3 different applications.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, please refer to INPI’s website. In addition, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
In Argentina, a trade mark application costs €28 per class.
The costs to renew one mark amount to €35 per class.
Argentina is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with the INPI.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Argentina: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, sound, and tactile marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/ or renewed.
The legal protection of utility model is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Argentina is not a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, if you want to file a patent application, you must apply for a national patent directly with INPI.
Grant takes between 5 years for patents, depending on the area, and 2 years for utility models.
Argentina is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with INPI.
In Argentina, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Argentina, as in Europe, it is not required to include a copyright sign to protect your work.
However, whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’ along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of the first publication. This will allow third parties to know that your work is protected and that it should not be copied without authorisation.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their sworn translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The office in charge of registration of intellectual property rights in Bolivia is SENAPI, the website of which can be found at http://www.senapi.gob.bo/index.asp.
With regards to plant varieties, the competent authority is the Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agropecuaria y Forestal (INIAF)
IPR applicants in Bolivia do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Bolivia, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not already have an address will have to go through a representative when dealing with the SENAPI, the Bolivian IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As a member of the Berne Convention, Bolivia does not require a formal registration to provide protection to copyright works. The work will be automatically protected from the moment of creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as proof of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Bolivian law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Bolivia first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with its international obligations under the Paris Convention, the TRIPS Agreement and the Andean Community Decision 486/2000, Bolivia provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Bolivia.
Unfortunately, Bolivia does not provide free access to its trade mark database. Hence, if you want to assess if the trade mark you want to register is already registered (preliminary search) you will have to request so to the SENAPI.
The cost is € 20 for foreigners and € 10 for Bolivian citizens/ companies.
Contrary to Europe, the Bolivian trade mark system is a single-class application system. Therefore, a separate trade mark application must be filed for each class of products or services, according to the Nice classification.
Example: if you intend to register your brand for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (classes 32 and 33, respectively) and t-shirts (class 25), you will need to file 3 different applications.
To check whether the products or services are within the same class, please refer to INPI’s website. In addition, you may use WIPO´s classification web-tool, a free online platform that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application.
In Bolivia, a trade mark application costs € 135 per class for international persons.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 67 per class.
Bolivia is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with the SENAPI.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Bolivia: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, sound and tactile marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/ or renewed.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Bolivia is not a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, if you want to file a patent application, you must apply for a national patent directly with SENAPI.
Grant takes around 5 and 8 years, depending on the technological field.
Bolivia is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with SENAPI.
In Bolivia, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Bolivia, as in Europe, it is not required to include a copyright sign to protect your work.
However, whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’ along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of the first publication. This will allow third parties to know that your work is protected and that it should not be copied without authorisation.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Portuguese.
Duly certified copies along with their sworn translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary:
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, software and appellations of origin is the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
Regarding copyright (excluding software), the competent office is the Brazilian National Library.
Finally, the competent authority for plant varieties is the National Plant Varieties Protection Service (SNPC).
IPR applicants in Brazil do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Brazil, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the INPI, the Brazilian IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As a member of the Berne Convention, Brazil does not require formal registration to provide protection to copyright works. The work will be automatically protected from the moment of creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as proof of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Brazilian law adopts the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Brazil first. Therefore, to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Brazil provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. In addition, the Brazilian national law provides a ‘preferential right’ for obtaining registration to the person who has been using a trade mark to distinguish an identical or similar product or service in good faith for at least 6 months before the application inside national territory. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Brazil.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register is already registered.
In addition, you may also use TMview, an online free platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Brazil.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
It is now possible to file multi-class trade mark applications, i.e. the same mark for different products and/or services.
Currently, INPI uses the 11th version of WIPO’s international classification of goods and services for the purposes of the registration of trade marks under the Nice Agreement (also known as the ‘Nice Classification’) to classify products and services. Apart from the products and services specifically itemised in the Nice Classification, you may draft your own specification for an application, as long as the market segment is included in the class. When in doubt, you may request assistance to classify products and/or services from a special Classification Committee at INPI (fees will apply).
In Brazil, a trade mark application costs € 205. This includes the application fee, examination fee, and registration certificate fee for the first 10 years.
The renewal cost is around €199. In addition to this, the fees charged by the IP agent or lawyer specialising in trade marks, and any additional costs if there is an opposition (variable amount) should be taken into consideration.
Brazil ratified its accession to WIPO’s Madrid Protocol for the international registration of trade marks.
Therefore, it is now possible to register a trade mark in Brazil through the Madrid system, which allows the registration of a trade mark in several countries through a single application.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Brazil: 3D/shape marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
The legal protection of utility models is 15 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Brazil is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows for the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
INPI faces a severe backlog problem on patent and utility models registration. Currently, registration takes over 7 years for patents and a bit less for utility models.
There is a patent prosecution highway (PPH) or accelerated examination procedure for patent applications that are based on a favourable result from a cooperating foreign office. Brazil has signed agreements with Japan, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Dominican Republic, China, Austria, Sweden, South Korea and Singapore.
There is also a regular fast track program in Brazil called the Green Patent Program (sustainable inventions) as well as a fast track program for pharmaceutical products, processes and health equipment or materials, involving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Brazil is a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System).
In Brazil, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Brazil, as in Europe, it is not required to include a copyright sign to protect your work.
However, whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’ along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of the first publication. This will allow third parties to know that your work is protected and that it should not be copied without authorisation.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their sworn translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary:
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs and appellations of origin is the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI).
Regarding copyright, the competent office is the Intellectual Property Department of the Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos (DIBAM), which also includes software.
Lastly, the competent authority for plant varieties is the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG)
IPR applicants in Chile do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Chile, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the INAPI, the Chilean IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As a member of the Berne Convention, Chile does not require formal registration to provide protection to copyright works. The work will be automatically protected from the moment of creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as proof of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Chilean law adopts the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Chile first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations of the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Chile provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. In addition, the Chilean law states that the use of an unregistered mark in Chile will allow its owner to benefit from certain actions and defences against another party that wishes to or has already registered the same or a similar mark. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Chile.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Chilean National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Chile.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
In common with Europe, the Chilean trade mark system is a multi-class application system. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, please refer to INAPI’s website. In addition, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
In Chile, a trade mark application costs € 218 per class (in cases of multi-class applications, € 194 per additional class).
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 435 per class.
Chile is a member of the Madrid System (since July 2022). herefore, it is now possible to register a trade mark in Chile through the Madrid system, which allows the registration of a trade mark in several countries through a single application.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Chile: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, and sound marks.
Patent protection is granted for a 20-year term as of the date of application.
This period may only be extended for drug patents when there has been an unjustified delay in the patenting procedure due to INAPI. Protection will then be extended for the period equating to the unjustified delay.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Chile is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Grant takes over 4-5 years for patents and a bit less for utility models.
There is a patent prosecution highway (PPH) or accelerated examination procedure for patent applications that are based on a favourable result from a foreign office in cooperation. At this moment Chile has such agreements with Canada, the US, Japan, China, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Chile is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national one directly with INAPI.
In Chile, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Chile and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’ along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies, along with their translation, must be submitted for every document issued in another language. No official translation is required.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary:
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs and appellations of origin is the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC).
Regarding copyright, the competent office is the National Copyright Directorate (Dirección Nacional de Derecho de Autor -DNDA-), which also includes software.
Lastly, the competent authority for plant varieties is the the Colombian Agriculture Institute (ICA).
IPR applicants in Colombia do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Colombia, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not already have an address will have to go through a representative in their dealings with the INPI, the Colombian IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Colombia does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Colombian law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Colombia first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention, the TRIPS Agreement and the Andean Community Decision 486/2000, Colombia provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Colombia.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Superintendency of Industry and Trade (SIC) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Colombia.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Colombia. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes.
- If you wish to register online: for a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 230. Each extra class amounts to € 115. The costs to renew one mark amount to € 125 per class. There is a 25 % fee discount for SMEs that are legally incorporated in Colombia.
- If you wish to register in person: for a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 280. Each extra class amounts to € 132. The costs to renew one mark amount to € 152 per class. There is a 25 % fee discount for SMEs that are legally incorporated in Colombia.
Colombia is a member of the Madrid System.
Therefore, trade mark applicants can choose whether to file a national application or to designate Colombia under an international registration. The Madrid System allows the registration of a trade mark in several countries through a single application.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Colombia: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, sound and tactile marks.
Patents are granted for a 20-year term as of the date of application.
The term of protection shall under no circumstances be extended. However, it is possible to request a restoration of the patent rights term in case of an undue delay in prosecution, which is counted as of 5 years after the initial filing date for causes that cannot be attributable to the applicant.
It is important to highlight that this is not applicable for pharmaceutical inventions.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Colombia is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes between 3 to 5 years for patents.
The Colombian Trade Mark and Patent Office (SIC), one of the fastest patent offices in Latin America, participates in several Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programs with several patent offices (e.g. Spain and the European Patent Office) as well as multinational and IP associations (e.g. PCT-PPH, Global PPH, the Pacific Alliance and PROSUR).
Patent applications carried out under this type of programs generally obtain a final action faster before participating offices. Click on this link to learn more about how these programmes work.
Colombia is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the Superintendency of Industry and Trade (SIC).
In Colombia, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Colombia and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The office in charge of registration of Intellectual Property Rights is the National Registry.
With regards to plant varieties, the competent office is the National Seeds Office (Ofinase).
IPR applicants in Costa Rica do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Costa Rica, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the INAPI, the Costa Rican IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Costa Rica does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Trade mark rights in Costa Rica are acquired through use. This means that a continuous use of a trade mark within the national territory provides you a preferential right to it. Nonetheless, it is advisable to register the trade mark to have proof of ownership, which would be useful in case of infringement, and to fully enjoy the exclusive rights established by the national law. Moreover, even though it is possible -under certain conditions- to oppose a registration for a trade mark based on an unregistered trade mark, it is necessary to file the trade mark application 15 days from the filing of the opposition.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Costa Rican law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Costa Rica first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Costa Rica.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential
The National Registry, on its website, offers the possibility to perform a search in its trade mark database in order for registered users to find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Costa Rica.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Costa Rica. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
In Costa Rica, a trade mark application costs € 44 per class (in cases of multi-class applications, € 44 per additional class).
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 44 per class.
Costa Rica is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with the National Registry.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Costa Rica: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, and sound marks.
Patent protection is granted for a 20-year term from the date of application.
The normal protection term can be extended to compensate for a delay in the patent registration process (if the grant takes more than 5 years from the filing date or 3 years from the examination request) or for a delay in the regulatory approval of a pharmaceutical product (more than 3 years from the application).
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Costa Rica is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Grant takes around 5 years for patents and a bit less for utility models.
If more than 5 years: the applicant is entitled to compensation from the RPI and an extension of the patent life
Costa Rica is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the National Registry.
In Costa Rica, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Costa Rica and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their sworn translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary:
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs and appellations of origin is the Cuban Office of Industrial Property.
Regarding copyright, the competent office is the National Office of Copyright.
IPR applicants in Cuba do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Cuba, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not already have an address will have to go through a representative in their dealings with the INPI, the Cuban IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Cuba does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Cuban law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Cuba first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Cuba provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Cuba.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
Trade mark information can be consulted for free at the Library room of the Cuban Office of Industrial Property.
For online access, you can use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Cuba.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
As in Europe, the Cuban trade mark system is a multi-class application system. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. In Cuba, a trade mark registration costs approximately €277 (up to 3 classes) for one class and €92 per additional class.
The costs to renew one mark amount to €277 for the first three classes and €92 per additional class.
Cuba is a member of the Madrid System.
Therefore, trade mark applicants can choose whether to file a national application or to designate Cuba under an international registration. The Madrid System allows the registration of a trade mark in several countries through a single application.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Cuba: 3D/shape marks.
Patents are granted for a 20-year term from the date of application.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Cuba is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
It takes approximately 4 years to get a patent granted in Cuba.
Cuba is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the Cuban Office of Industrial Property.
In Cuba, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Cuba and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
The office in charge trade mark, patent, utility model and design registration is the National Industrial Property Office (ONAPI).
Copyright-protected works can be registered with Oficina Nacional de Derecho de Autor.
IPR applicants in the Dominican Republic do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in the Dominican Republic, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the Dominican IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, the Dominican Republic does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation, or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs, and utility models, the Dominican law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in the Dominican Republic first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, the Dominican Republic provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in the Dominican Republic.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
You may request a trade mark search to the Dominican Republic’s trade mark office (ONAPI). This service has a fee of approximately € 10.
Alternatively, you can also use TMView, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including the Dominican Republic.
Another valuable tool is TMClass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
The Dominican Republic allows multi-class trade mark applications. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice Classification.
In the Dominican Republic, a trade mark application costs €97 for one class, and €72 for each additional class.
The Dominican Republic is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with the Dominican Republic’s trade mark office (ONAPI).
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Dominican Republic: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, and sound marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection may be extended for 3 years, in case the IP office delays their decision of grant.
Utility model protection lasts for 15 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
The period of protection cannot be extended.
The Dominican Republic is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
It takes approximately between 3 to 4 years to get a patent granted in the Dominican Republic, provided that there are no third-party oppositions or objections by the examiner.
The Dominican Republic is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with ONAPI.
In the Dominican Republic, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In the Dominican Republic and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright, appellations of origin and plant varieties is the National Service of Intellectual Rights (SENADI).
IPR applicants in Ecuador do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Ecuador, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not already have an address will have to go through a representative in their dealings with the INPI, the Ecuadorian IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Ecuador does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Ecuadorian law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Ecuador first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention, the TRIPS Agreement and the Andean Community Decision 486/2000, Ecuador provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Ecuador.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
Prior to the submission of an application it is advisable to conduct a background search to verify that the trade mark you intend to apply for will not conflict with any prior trade marks. Unfortunately, there is no public trade mark database in Ecuador. Because of this, you should request to the SENADI a general search or a special search report based on any of the following criteria: holder, international class, year of registration and pending applications.
A valuable tool that you may use is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. This database is available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Unfortunately, multi-class applications are not allowed in Ecuador. A separate application is required for each class of goods and/or services.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Trade mark registration cost may vary depending on the type of trade marks, ranging from € 183 to € 882. A discount may be offered to foreign micro and SMEs, craftsmen, higher education institutions and independent creators. For further information about this, check out SENADI´s website.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 183.
Ecuador is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark directly with the National Service of Intellectual Rights (SENADI).
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Ecuador: 3D/shape, colour per se, colour position/combination, smell, sound and tactile marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years from the date of application.
The legal protection of utility models lasts for 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. Further extension is not possible.
Ecuador is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes between 5 and 7 years for patents.
Ecuador is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the National Service of Intellectual Rights (SENADI).
In Ecuador, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Ecuador and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The competent authority in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright and appellations of origin is the National Registration Center (CNR).
IPR applicants in El Salvador do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in El Salvador, a local agent must represent them. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to rely on a representative for the proceedings carried out through the National Registration Center, the IP office of El Salvador.
The same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, El Salvador does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Salvadoran law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in El Salvador first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, this trade mark system offers protection to unregistered famous and well-known trade marks (in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement). Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in El Salvador.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The National Registration Center (CNR) provides a trade mark search service upon payment of € 18.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including El Salvador.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in El Salvador. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. If you wish to register a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 88. Each extra class amounts to € 88.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 88 per class.
El Salvador is not a contracting state to the Madrid System for international trade mark registration.
In order to obtain trade mark registration in El Salvador, an application must be filed directly with CNR.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in El Salvador: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, trade dress, smell, and sound marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years from the date of application.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
El Salvador is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes approximately 5 years for patents.
El Salvador is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the National Registration Center (CNR).
In El Salvador, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In El Salvador and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The competent authority in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright and appellations of origin is the Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual de Guatemala (RPI).
IPR applicants in Guatemala do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Guatemala, a local agent must represent them. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to rely on a representative for the proceedings carried out through the Intellectual Property Register of Guatemala.
The same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Guatemala does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Guatemalan law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Guatemala first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Guatemala provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Furthermore, as in Europe, unregistered designs are protected in Guatemala for a period of 3 years.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Intellectual Property Register of Guatemala provides access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
Multiclass applications are available in Guatemala.
In Guatemala, a trade mark application costs € 37.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 30.
No, Guatemala is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trademark in the country, you must apply for a national trademark directly with the RPI.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Guatemala: 3D/shape, colour per se, colour position/combination, trade dress, smell, and sound marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years fromthe date of application. If the registration process takes more than 5 years, or the substantive examination takes more than 3 years, applicants can apply for an extension of the protection.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Guatemala is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes approximately 3-4 years for patents (the extension of the patent can be extended if the procedure takes longer than 5 years).
Guatemala is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the Intellectual Property Register of Guatemala.
In Guatemala, designs must be registered in order to be fully protected. However, be aware that Guatemala grants 3 years protection to unregistered designs in a similar way to the European Union.
In Guatemala and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The competent authority in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright and appellations of origin is the Directorate General of Intellectual Property.
IPR applicants in Honduras do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Honduras, a local agent must represent them. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to rely on a representative for the proceedings carried out through the Directorate General of Intellectual Property.
The same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Honduras does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Honduran law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Honduras first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Honduras provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. In addition, Honduras trade mark law also grants, under certain conditions, a ‘preferential right’ after the registration to those who have been commercially using a trade mark in good faith since the earliest date within national territory.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Directorate General of Intellectual Property provides a trade mark search service upon payment of the corresponding fee.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Honduras. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are included within the same class, please refer to WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. If you wish to register a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 26.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 13.
Honduras is not a contracting state to the Madrid System for international trade mark registration.
In order to obtain trade mark registration in Honduras, an application must be filed directly with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Honduras: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, and trade dress marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years from the date of application. If the registration process takes more than 5 years, or the substantive examination takes more than 3 years, applicants can apply for an extension of the protection.
The legal protection of utility models is 15 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Honduras is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes approximately 5 years for patents (the extension of the patent can be extended if the procedure takes longer).
Honduras is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property.
In Honduras, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Honduras and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent authority may vary:
The office in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs and appellations of origin is the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).
Regarding copyright, the competent office is the National Copyright Institute (INDAUTOR).
IPR applicants in Mexico do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Mexico, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not already have an address will have to use a representative in their dealings with the IMPI, the Mexican IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Mexico does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Mexican law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Mexico first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with its international obligations under the Paris Convention, the TRIPS Agreement and the Andean Community Decision 486/2000, Mexico provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Mexico.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations, and get tailored advice to your specific case, contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) provides free access to its trade mark database (MARCANET), where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Mexico.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
In contrast to Europe, Mexico has no multi-class application system. Hence, a separate trade mark application must be filed for each class of product or service you want to register your trade mark in.
Note that Mexico adopted the Nice classification, but products and services that are not included in any of the classes can use the Complementary list issued by IMPI in order to increase certainty.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. If you wish to register a trade mark for one class you have to pay €120.
The costs to renew one mark amount to €112 per class.
Mexico is a member of the Madrid System.
Therefore, trade mark applicants can choose whether to file a national application or to designate Mexico under an international registration. The Madrid System allows the registration of a trade mark in several countries through a single application.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Mexico: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, holograms, trade dress, smell, and sound marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years from the date of application.
The term of protection shall under no circumstances be extended.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Mexico is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes between 2 and 5 years for patents.
The IMPI participates in various Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programmes with several patent offices (e.g. Spain and the European Patent Office).
Patent applications carried out under this type of programme generally obtain registration more quickly with participating offices.Click on this link to learn more about how these programmes work .
Mexico is a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you can make use of this system that allows industrial designs to be protected in multiple countries or regions with minimal formalities.
In Mexico, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Mexico, copyright works must include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language.
The competent authority in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright and plant varieties is the Nicaraguan Intellectual Property Office.
IPR applicants in Nicaragua do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Nicaragua, a local agent must represent them. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to rely on a representative for the proceedings carried out through the Nicaraguan Intellectual Property Office.
The same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Nicaragua does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Nicaraguan law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Nicaragua first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Nicaragua provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. In addition, the Nicaraguan law does not allow the registration of a sign that is identical or similar to another that has been used in good faith within the national territory for the same kind of products or services. Furthermore, in common with Europe, unregistered designs are protected in Nicaragua for a period of 3 years.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Nicaraguan Intellectual Property Office provides a trade mark search service upon payment of the corresponding fee (it varies depending on the type of search requested).
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Nicaragua. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are included within the same class, please refer to WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. If you wish to register a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 125. Each extra class amounts to € 60.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 132 per class.
Micro and small enterprises may benefit from a 50% discount.
Nicaragua is not a contracting state to the Madrid System for international trade mark registration.
In order to obtain trade mark registration in NIcaragua, an application must be filed directly with the Nicaraguan Intellectual Property Office.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Nicaragua: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, holograms, smell, and sound marks.
The legal protection of patents is 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Nicaragua is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes approximately 3 years for patents.
Nicaragua is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the Nicaraguan Intellectual Property Office.
In Nicaragua, designs must be registered in order to be fully protected. However, be aware that Nicaragua grants 3 years protection to unregistered designs in a similar way to the European Union.
In Nicaragua and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Foreign applicants without a legal domicile in Panama must be represented by a local attorney.
This representation must be approved through a power of attorney included as part of the application documents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Panama does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Panamanian law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Panama first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Panama provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Panama.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
Panama’s trade mark office, DIGERPI, provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Panama. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice Classification.
To check whether the products or services are included within the same class, please refer to WIPO’s classification web-tool.
In Panama, a trade mark costs € 130 for a registration and 10 years of protection per class. Each additional class costs € 104. To renew the trade mark, it will cost you 125€.
Panama is not a contracting state to the Madrid System for international trade mark registration. In order to obtain trade mark registration in Panama, an application must be filed directly with DIGERPI.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Panama: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, holograms, smell, and taste marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years counting from the date of application. If the registration process takes more than 5 years, or the substantive examination takes more than 3 years, applicants can request the extension of the protection period.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years from the date of filing of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/or renewed.
Panama is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
Registration takes approximately 5 years for patents (the duration of the patent can be extended if the procedure takes longer).
Panama is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with DIGERPI.
In Panama, designs should be registered in order to be fully protected. However, note that Panama grants 3 years of exclusive protection to unregistered designs in a similar way to the European Union.
In Panama as in Europe, and whether the workd is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Documents in other languages must be translated or certified by a sworn translator registered in Paraguay.
The office in charge of patent, utility model, trade mark and design applications Is the Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual (DINAPI).
Copyright protected works can also be registered at DINAPI.
Finally, the competent authority for plant varieties is the Dirección de Semillas of the Servicio Nacional de Calidad y Sanidad Vegetal y de Semillas (SENAVE).
Foreign IPR applicants in Paraguay must be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights.
As part of the Berne Convention, Paraguay does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Paraguayan law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Paraguay first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Paraguay provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Paraguay.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual (DINAPI) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
Paraguay only accepts single-classe trade mark applications. Therefore, a separate trade mark application must be filed for each class of products or services of the International Classification of Nice (10th edition) and the Paraguayan Classification for which the trade mark protection is requested.
Application fees for a trade mark in Paraguay amount to approximately € 24. The renewal approx. € 124.
Paraguay is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with Paraguay’s trade mark office (DINAPI)
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Paraguay: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, trade dress, and sound marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/ or renewed.
Utility model protection lasts for 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/or renewed.
Paraguay has not signed the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Therefore, if you want to file a patent application you must apply for a national patent.
It takes approximately between 6 to 7 years to get a patent granted in Paraguay, provided that there are no third-party oppositions or objections by the examiner.
Paraguay is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with DINAPI.
In Paraguay, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Paraguay and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Duly certified copies along with their translation must be submitted for every document issued in another language
The competent authority in charge of patents, utility models, trade marks, designs, copyright, plant varieties and appellations of origin is the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi).Depending on the IPR concerned, the competent INDECOPI department may vary.
IPR applicants in Peru do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have an address in Peru, a local agent must represent them. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to rely on a representative for the proceedings carried out through INDECOPI, the Peruvian IP office.
The same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses which have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Peru does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Peruvian law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Peru first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention, the TRIPS Agreement and the Andean Community Decision 486/2000, Peru provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Peru.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Peru.
Another valuable tool is TMclass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Multiple-class trade mark applications and registrations are accepted in Peru. Therefore, a single trade mark application may include products and/or services of different classes, according to the Nice classification.
To check whether the products or services are classified within the same class, you may use TMclass, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application, or WIPO´s classification web-tool.
Initial fees of trade mark registration may vary depending on the number of classes. If you wish to register a trade mark for one class you have to pay € 134. Each extra class amounts to € 134.
The costs to renew one mark amount to € 78 per class.
Since April 2023, trade mark registration fees have been reduced to 25% for micro and small enterprises.
Peru is not a contracting state to the Madrid System for international trade mark registration. In order to obtain trade mark registration in Peru, an application must be filed directly with Indecopi.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Peru: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, smell, sound and tactile marks.
Patents are granted for 20 years from the date of application.
A restoration of the protection term may be requested whenever there is an unreasonable delay with a patent, except in those cases in which a pharmaceutical product or process is claimed.
Indecopi incurs in an unreasonable delay whenever a patent takes more than 5 years to be issued from the filing date of the application or 3 years after the request for the substantive examination, whichever is last, provided that such delay is not attributable to the patent holder.
The legal protection of utility models is of 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Peru is a contracting party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which allows the filing of international patent applications. Therefore, EU applicants can benefit from the simplified procedures and reduced costs that the WIPO systems provide to foreign applicants.
The time for processing patent applications may take up to 6 years and utility model applications may take up to 3.
Nonetheless, Indecopi has signed several Patent Prosecution Highway agreements (PPH) with some of its peers (patent offices in Spain and Japan) as well as with multinational and IP associations (Global PPH, Pacific Alliance, PROSUR) in order to accelerate the substantive examination of applications on the basis of a favourable result of a foreign office, party to these agreements.
Click on this link to get further information on PPH in Peru.
Peru is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi).
In Peru, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Peru and in Europe, and whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of first publication.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
The office in charge of trade mark, patent, utility model and design registration is the National Directory for Industrial Property, part of the Ministry of Industry (MIEM-DNPI).
Copyright-protected works can be registered with the Copyright Department of the National Library.
IPR applicants in Uruguay do not need to be represented by a specialised IP attorney, be it for trade marks, patents, utility models or design rights. However, this is always strongly recommended. Moreover, if the applicant does not have a residence in Uruguay, they must be represented by a local agent. In practice, this means that EU SMEs that do not have an address yet will have to go through a representative when dealing with the Uruguayan IP office.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Uruguay does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Uruguayan law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Uruguay first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the international obligations under the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement, Uruguay provides a certain degree of protection to unregistered well-known marks. Be aware that, in contrast with Europe, unregistered designs are not protected in Uruguay.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The National Directory for Industrial Property (MIEM-DNPI) provides free access to its trade mark database, where you can find out if the trade mark you are planning to register has already been registered.
You can also use TMView, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Uruguay.
Another valuable tool is TMClass, which can help you search and classify goods and services in your trade mark application. These databases are available in the 22 official languages of the EU.
Uruguay allows multi-class trade mark applications. In other words, you may register a trade mark for several goods and services through one single application.
In Uruguay, a trade mark application costs €153 for one class and €91 per additional class, for word marks.
Uruguay is not a member of the Madrid System. Therefore, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national trade mark with the National Directory for Industrial Property (MIEM-DNPI).
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Uruguay: 3D/shape, colour position/combination, and sound marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application. This legal protection cannot be extended and/ or renewed.
Utility model protection lasts for 10 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
The law allows for the term of protection to be extended once for a five-year period.
Uruguay has not signed the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Therefore, if you want to file a patent application you must apply for a national patent.
It takes more than 7 years to get a patent granted in Uruguay. Third-party oppositions or objections by the examiner may delay the granting date.
Uruguay is not a party to the Hague Agreement on the international registration of industrial designs (the Hague System). Therefore, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national design directly with the National Directory for Industrial Property (MIEM-DNPI).
In Uruguay, designs must be registered in order to be protected. In contrast with Europe, unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.
In Uruguay, as in Europe, it is not required to include a copyright sign to protect your work.
However, whether the work is registered or not, it is advisable to include a copyright notice such as ‘all rights reserved’, along with the copyright sign ‘©’, followed by the name of the author and the year of the first publication. This will allow third parties to know that your work is protected and that it should not be copied without authorisation.
The application form and other relevant required documents must be submitted in Spanish.
Foreigners without a residence or commercial establishment in Venezuela must appoint a representative.
Note that the same rule applies in Europe: people or businesses that have a legal address in Europe will not need representation when registering their IP rights in Europe. Foreign companies without an address in Europe will need to be represented by local agents.
As part of the Berne Convention, Venezuela does not require any formal registration to provide protection to copyright works; the work will be automatically protected from the moment of its creation. However, registration may be very useful in enforcement actions, such as evidence of ownership, the date of creation or the content of the work itself.
Regarding trade marks, patents, designs and utility models, the Venezuelan law follows the first-to-file principle, which means that exclusive rights are granted to the party that registers the relevant IP right in Venezuela first. Therefore, in order to benefit from full legal protection and turn intangible assets into tradable assets, it would be necessary to register your creations.
If you want to know more about how to protect your creations and get tailored advice for your specific case, you can contact our Helpline. It is free, fast and confidential.
The “Servicio Autónomo de Propiedad Intelectual” (SAPI) offers free access to its trade mark database upon registration.
In addition, you can also use TMview, a free online platform set up by EUIPO that allows users to search for trade marks that have already been registered in the participating countries, including Venezuela.
Venezuela only accepts single-class trade mark applications. Therefore, a separate trade mark application must be filed for each class of products or services of the International Classification of Nice (10th edition) and the Venezuelan Classification for which the trade mark protection is requested.
The trade mark application procedure has an approximate cost of 110.044,57 Petro, or €23, given no opposition is filed against the application and it is duly accepted.
Click on this link to find the complete table with the costs at SAPI.
Venezuela is not part of the International Trade mark Registration System (Madrid System). Thus, if you want to protect your trade mark in the country, you must apply for a national one.
Non-traditional trade marks are any trade marks that do not fall into the traditional categories of word or figurative marks.
The following non-traditional TMs can be registered in Venezuela: sound marks.
Patent protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Utility model protection lasts for 20 years, calculated from the filing date of the application.
Venezuela has not signed the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Therefore, if you want to file a patent application you must apply for a national patent.
It takes approximately 7 years to get a patent granted in Venezuela, provided that there are no third-party oppositions or objections by the examiner.
Venezuela is not part of the International Design Registration System (Hague System). Thus, if you want to protect your industrial design in the country, you must apply for a national one.
In Venezuela, designs must be registered in order to be protected. Unregistered designs do not benefit from any protection.