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Contracting state |
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Legal basis for levying renewal fees |
Art. 161 NPL Enquiries re renewal fees and validity: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 Amount of fees (plus any charges levied by banks) |
Note: the fees may be revised at the beginning of each year. Art. 157 and 184 NPL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2 (a) Due date (in the patent year concerned) (b) Time limit for payment (without surcharge)* (c) Earliest possible date for payment |
(a) Last day of the month in which the date of filing occurred (b) 3 months from due date (c) The day following the due date Art. 157 and 184 NPL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3 Period of grace for payment of fees (with surcharge) (a) duration (b) surcharge |
(a) 6 months from expiry of the time limit under section 2(b) (b) 25% if paid within 3 months, 50% if paid within 6 months from expiry of the time limit under section 2(b) (a) and (b) After expiry of the period of grace renewal may still be secured by paying, before the due date for the next renewal fee, the fee with a 50% surcharge and an additional fee of EUR 100. Art. 157 and 184 NPL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 Communication of a reminder in cases of non-payment (a) provided for? (b) date of despatch |
(a) No (b) n/a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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5 Restitutio in integrum (a) provided for? (b) time limit for submitting application |
(a) Yes, in cases where an applicant or owner has failed to comply with a time limit for an action in a procedure before the Office in spite of due care required by the circumstances, and that failure has the direct consequence of causing a loss of rights (b) The request has to be filed within 2 months of removal of the obstacle, provided that the request is filed within 12 months from the date of expiry of the applicable time limit to pay with surcharge. Art. 53 NPL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6 Appointment of a national professional representative for (a) payment of fees (b) communication of a reminder of non-payment (c) proceedings in respect of restitutio in integrum |
(a) No, if proprietor resides in a country of the EU (b) n/a (c) Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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7 Information regarding lapse of patent in cases of non-payment of renewal fees |
Entry in the patent register Publication in "Boletín Oficial de la Propiedad Industrial" Communication to the owner or the representative Art. 72 RD 316 |
* For first renewal fee to be paid, see Art. 141(2) EPC.
