Patent Application Encyclopedia

The novelty of the invention will not be lost if the information about the invention is disclosed within 6 months before the filing date or the priority date if the following conditions are met:

• Disclosure due to apparent misuse by the applicant or its predecessor owners
• The invention is disclosed at an official or officially recognized international exhibition

• via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
• Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.

yes

Bulgarian Patent Office

English: Bulgarian Patent Office, abbreviation: BPO

Website: Патентното ведомство на Република България (bpo.bg)

Bulgarian invention patent search: BPO Online - portal.bpo.bg

4 years

In Hungary, the following disclosures provide for a novelty grace period of 12 months:
- Disclosures resulting from abuse related to the applicant or his legal predecessors;
- the disclosure was made by the applicant, his predecessor or a third party (if the information was provided by the applicant or his predecessor).

Furthermore, if the design is disclosed to a third party under conditions of confidentiality, the disclosure will be disregarded.

• via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
• Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.

UIBM conducts substantive examination for the first application, and does not conduct substantive examination for applications with priority that are not submitted for the first time. The applicant can request to disclose in advance, so that the official can enter the actual examination process in advance. The applicant shall pay the official fee for the application fee at the same time on the day of filing, and obtain the official fee receipt accordingly, otherwise the filing date will be the date of payment of the fee; the European Patent Office conducts a prior art search and issues a search report and written opinion. If the written opinion contains an opposition, the response shall be submitted to the Italian Patent Office for examination.

4-5 years

yes

• Licensing Fee: None.
• Annuity: pay year by year from the first year from the date of application, and the applicant should pay the fee within 3 months before the expiration of the annual fee period. Overdue payment can be made within 3 months after the due date, and there is no need to pay the penalty. If the penalty is paid, it can be extended for another 3 months.

Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."

• Authorization Fee: None
• Annuity: The renewal fee is paid every 5 years. If the renewal fee is not paid within the time limit, it can be paid within the 6-month grace period and the penalty should be paid at the same time.

yes

If the following situations occur 12 months before the patent application/priority date by the inventor, applicant or assignee:

• By correspondence, or publicly at national or international exhibitions

• Disclosure due to malicious disclosure by a third party

  The novelty grace period can be enjoyed, and the applicant needs to submit corresponding evidence support when submitting the application.

• Grant fee: The applicant should pay the granted fee within 2 months after receiving the notification of granted decision, and pay the annual fee for the first to fifth years at the same time.
• Annuity: Subsequent payment of annual fee every 5 years, overdue payment can be made within the grace period after 6 months, but a penalty must be paid at the same time.