Boost for patent and utility model applications

The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO) continues to promote the use of Industrial Property as a tool that can help Spanish companies gain access to international markets. On 24 March, it published a Resolution in the Official State Bulletin (BOE) announcing the 2014 subsidies for the promotion of patent and utility model applications for Spain and abroad.

The two main objectives of this aid are:

• To promote international protection of technology by means of patents or utility models, and to help improve the competitiveness of entities in the private sector that are searching for markets outside Spain.
• To promote the protection of national inventions by SMEs and individuals by means of patents or utility models.

The subsidies announced are as follows:

• Subsidies for extending a patent or utility model application to the national offices in third countries or regional patent offices, in the framework of procedures for the granting of national or regional patents or utility models. The subsidies for 2014 will include, among other eligible aspects: application formalities, search, examination or granting reports, EPO fees and validation of European patents.
• Subsidies for activities performed as part of the international PCT procedure (application formalities, international search or preliminary exam).
• Subsidies for Spanish patent and utility model applications (application formalities and/or search report).

How to submit applications
Applications must be filled in and submitted electronically via the SPTO e-Office Portal from 25 March to 24 April 2014.

For further information, please click here.