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EU SME Fund: Grants for Patent Applications Available Again from June 2, 2025

The EU funding program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to support intellectual property rights (more information available here) was particularly popular for patent applications earlier this year. The funds available for this purpose were therefore quickly exhausted. However, additional funds for patent applications are now available again, as not all approved grants were actually utilized. According to the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), SMEs can submit applications for grants for patent applications starting June 2, 2025 [...].

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Independent Inventor – Implied Agreement on the Transfer of Invention Rights

On January 9, 2025 (Case No. 2 U 1/24), the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf dismissed the appeal of a former independent contractor against a judgment of the Regional Court of Düsseldorf. The plaintiff, a mechanical engineer with many years of experience in the field of stud welding technology, demanded the transfer of several patents as well as claims for information and damages. He argued that the defendant company had filed patents based on his inventions without his consent, even though he had worked as a freelancer and therefore retained the rights [...]

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Russia - No IP Applications

DPMA - Russia

As part of the 14th sanctions package in response to Russia's actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, the DPMA (German Patent and Trademark Office) is no longer accepting new applications from Russian nationals, individuals residing in Russia, or legal entities, organizations, or institutions established in Russia.

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WARNING of payment requests

Our clients frequently receive payment requests from purported offices or service providers regarding their intellectual property rights. These letters are often designed to look like official government correspondence, giving the impression that an immediate response is required. Symbols such as a "Federal Eagle," a European "Blue with Stars" sign, or similar emblems are often used in these letters to falsely convey the legitimacy of an official authority.

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AMENDMENT TO THE PROHIBITION ON DOUBLE PROTECTION

Until 31 May 2023, German law prohibited double protection (referred to as “prohibition on double protection”) for national patents and European patents. Accordingly, it was not possible to obtain protection under a national patent for an invention in respect of which a European patent with the same priority and the same scope had been granted to the same inventor with effect in the Federal Republic of Germany. The national patent became ineffective if the inventor had been granted a European patent for the same invention that could not be revoked in opposition proceedings any more […]

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