Адвокати в Центральній та Східній Європі

New bnt survey on trademark and design protection in Central- and Eastern Europe published

30.01.2012

A new bnt survey reveals that significant differences in IP rules persist among the CEE countries surveyed despite the increased harmonization brought about by European and international laws and conventions.

The most significant differences include design protection terms, which vary from 5-10 years, accession to particular international conventions, and the ability to register odors, colors, sounds, and 3D marks.

Perhaps of most practical importance are differences in registration fees and filing procedures. For instance, the trademark registration fee in Hungary is more than double the fee in Poland and more than four times the fee in Latvia. Additionally, a registration process that takes only 10 months in the Czech Republic or Lithuania will take up to two years in Poland or Belarus.
Kategorie: en_Allgemein
Erstellt von: bnt Nuernberg
Effective protection of intellectual property rights requires proven multi-jurisdictional strategies with an efficient cost structure. Such strategies must also take local rules and practice into account, especially in those CEE countries still in the process of establishing effective legal structures for enforcement of IP rights.

Pirated goods often enter Western markets through Belarus, the Baltics, or other countries of CEE, making it imperative for right holders to be able to take action in these countries. The survey therefore includes exhaustive information on each country’s institutions and practice in the protection and enforcement of IP rights.

The bnt Survey Trademark and Design Protection CEE 2011/2012 covers Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. It can be ordered at info.lv@bnt.eu