The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in cooperation with the National Intellectual Property Offices, is implementing a programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Member States. According to the relevant announcement, this program is being implemented for the second consecutive year.

In particular, it will cover the funding of 75% of the filing fees for a national trademark or design and a European Union trademark or community design, as well as 50% of the international trademark application fees for countries outside the European Union, up to the amount of 1,500 euros per company .

In addition, 50% of national patent fees are financed, up to the amount of 750 euros per company.

The above initiative it's the first in a series actions to follow the next two years and has a purpose to put intellectual property at the service of mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), so that they can be supplied and take advantage of maximum of their intangible property rights in trademarks, designs and patents with the aim of increase their competitiveness and at the same time nbenefit our economy and society.

Relevant information is available on the website of EUIPO and the Ministry of Development & Investments .

Mere thoughts and ideas are not intellectual property. Intellectual property is what defines and protects people's innovations and creations

• Labels tell consumers the origin of products
• Drawings and designs determine the appearance of products
• Intellectual property rights cover artistic creations, such as books, music, paintings, sculptures and films
• Patents protect technical inventions in all fields of technology

The benefits of trademark registration

• Protecting your brand value
• Acquisition of an asset
• Protection against competing marks
• Determining your rights
• Counterfeiting and Fraud Prevention

The benefits of Community trade mark registration of SMEs

• A single online registration submission, in one language, is valid in all EU Member States.
• The Community trade mark gives the trade mark owner exclusive rights in all existing and future member states of the European Union at a low cost.
• You can trademark your brand in a market of approximately 500 million consumers.
• The EU mark is valid for 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely, for a period of 10 years each time it is renewed.