Did you know that SMEs can receive up to EUR 1,500 in EU funding for the official fees of their trademark or design applications? The SME Fund, managed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO, will accept  IPR voucher applications until December 16, 2022. The grant program will also continue in 2023. According to current information, the new application window will open in mid-January.

Is brand or design protection relevant to your company right now? If so, take advantage of the special offer and submit your IPR voucher application to EUIPO as soon as possible. Grants are available throughout the year 2022, but the reimbursements will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis from the SME Fund of 15 million euros available for the trademark or design applications or the IP pre-diagnostic service (IP Scan). 

An SME may receive a grant of up to EUR 1,500 for the official fees of trademark and/or design applications. You can apply for and receive this support once. However, the conditions in general for granting reimbursements in 2022 will be better for the applicants than last year. 

The grant application may include the official fees of several trademark and/or design applications at EU or national levels, and the applicant will receive a reimbursement of 75% of the costs. In 2022, the reimbursement may also include additional class fees and other application costs such as examination, registration, and publication fees. 

For example, if you apply for a grant for one EU trademark application with an official fee of EUR 850 in one class, you will receive a grant of € 637.50 for this one application. You will also be reimbursed for any additional class fees.

In 2022, it will also be possible to apply for and receive a 50% reimbursement of trademark and/or design basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees outside the EU. 

According to EUIPO, in practice more than 90% of applications are accepted if the company qualifies as an SME (less than 250 employees, turnover up to a maximum of EUR 50 million), is registered in the EU and has a valid VAT identification number for business within the EU.

The support will be paid from the SME Fund under the EUIPO's Ideas Powered for Business service to help SMEs in Europe take advantage of their intellectual property rights.

As this SME funding is EU-based, the company does not have to declare this funding when eventually applying for other, national-based public funding (e.g., granted by Business Finland) which is subject to the de minimis terms.

How do I apply for an IPR voucher?

Basic principle: first submit a grant application and wait for a positive grant decision. You will receive the decision within 30 days or no later than 60 days. You cannot file a trademark or design application first and then apply for compensation. The application costs will not be reimbursed if the registration applications have been filed before a positive grant decision from the SME Fund.

Register and fill in the electronic grant application, i.e., the IPR voucher application, in the EUIPO's Ideas Powered for Business online service. 

In addition to your company's basic information, the required documents to be attached with the application include a recent VAT certificate proving the legal existence of your company, as well as a bank certificate / account statement showing your company's IBAN account number, BIC / SWIFT, account opening date and account holder name.

In addition, you need a protection plan: will you be applying for an EU trademark or a national trademark, a registered community design or a national design, how many trademarks or designs will be filed and in how many classes. Do you possibly want to apply for protection outside the EU as well? Once the plan and the required documents exist, submitting the IPR Voucher application online is easy.

Once you have received a positive decision, you can file your trademark or design applications, and then apply for compensation in the online service by using the reimbursement form. The vouchers are valid for up to four months from the time the grant is awarded. 

Do you want to increase the value of your brand in the long run?

According to the study by EUIPO and EPO, only 9% of European SMEs own intellectual property rights. Those who own generate 68% higher revenues per employee than companies that have not invested in intangible assets.

Kaulo & Partners helps with planning of IP protection as a strategic asset and increasing the value of brands. IP investments perform best when the protection is planned from a business perspective and in the long run, not just as one-time filings.

Contact us at a low threshold and open a discussion about your company's protection strategy:

Jani Kaulo, jani.kaulo@kaulopatners.fi, +358 40 637 5442
Maria Puronvarsi, maria.puronvarsi@kaulopartners.fi, +358 40 669 0527