Did you know that SMEs can receive 50% EU funding for official fees for their trademark or design applications? The COSME SME Fund, managed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO, will still accept “IPR voucher” applications in September and October 2021. SME support is likely to continue in 2022.
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 during the September or October 2021 application windows. The next opportunity to apply for compensation may not be until the beginning of next year.
An SME may receive a reimbursement of up to EUR 1500 on basic trademark or design application costs. You can apply for and receive this support once. Your application may include the official fees of several trademark or design applications, but the 50% reimbursement covers protection in only one class of goods or services, not any additional classes or other application costs. For example, if you apply for a grant for one EU trademark application with a fee of EUR 850 in one class, you will receive a grant of EUR 425.
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 EUR 20 million fund set up under the EUIPO's Ideas Powered for Business service to help SMEs in Europe take advantage of intellectual property rights at national, regional or EU level.
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.
Fill in the electronic grant application, i.e. the IPR voucher application, in the EUIPO's Ideas Powered for Business service: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/online-services/sme-fund
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 trade mark, a Community design or a national design, and how many trademarks or designs will be filed.
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 submit your request for reimbursement to EUIPO within 30 days from the positive grant decision, using the link given in the decision.
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