Fee reductions for patent applications in Portugal

Portugal implements the EU SME subsidy program implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO, which partially subsidizes the pre-diagnosis costs of intellectual property rights for SMEs, such as IP Scan, IP Scan Enforcement, trademarks and designs, inventions and plant varieties. In practice, EUIPO issues vouchers at the request of applicants, which are used to partially reimburse the costs related to the selected method after activation. This financial support enables SMEs to view intellectual property as an investment rather than a cost, allowing enterprises to benefit from it and protect their patents, trademarks or designs from infringement in the future.

Voucher 1:

• IP Scan - Intellectual Property Pre-diagnosis Service:
  • Aims to advise SMEs on the potential of IP to promote the development of their activities, identifying types of IP assets that may be important and should be protected. It also aims to identify IP that is already protected and can be better exploited to obtain additional benefits and promote the growth of activities
  • 90% subsidy available
  • Services provided by experts in the field of industrial property appointed by INPI
• IP Scan – Execute:
  • Designed to provide advice to SMEs whose IP rights have been infringed, who are the target of allegations of IP infringement by third parties, or who are at high risk of such infringement

Voucher 2:

• National, regional and EU registration applications:
  • At INPI, BOIP or EU Trademark and Design, applicants can receive a 75% subsidy, including application fees, trademark registration class fees, examination fees, authorization fees, publication fees and delayed publication requests, including Logo trademark registration
• Apply for international trademarks and designs through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
  • Eligible international trademark registrations and design applications will receive a 50% subsidy, including application fees, designation fees and subsequent designation fees for Madrid trademark registrations and Hague designs

Voucher 3:

• National and European patent applications:
  • 75% subsidy available for national patent applications, European patent applications and search fees
  • 50% reimbursement of the costs of drafting and filing a European patent application. Eligible if provided by a person or entity established in the EU under the European Patent Convention and entitled to represent applicants in proceedings before the European Patent Office

Voucher 4:

• Application for a new plant variety within the European Community:
  • 50% subsidy available, including online application fee and examination fee