Euro-PCT: What to bear in mind when entering the European regional phase before the EPO with a PCT application – 31-month time limit, required steps and the current official fees at a glance.
An NDA protects confidential information, but it does not replace a patent or utility model. Anyone providing design documents to a supplier in Asia should therefore secure a filing date first – and only then disclose drawings and technical details.
File first, then manufacture: Why an NDA is not enough before manufacturing in Asia read more
The vouchers for trade marks, designs and IP Scan have run out for 2026 – the EUIPO SME Fund patent voucher has not. Up to EUR 3,500 in reimbursement is available, for national as well as European patent applications. What matters is the order: apply first, file second.
EUIPO SME Fund 2026: Patent Voucher Still Available read more
How innovative is Berlin? The 2024 patent and utility model statistics show the top applicants – and the lowest figure in ten years.
The DPMA register counts 96 patent and utility model applications from Velbert for 2024 – led by Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst and WITTE Automotive. Our annual review shows all applicants at a glance and the development over the past ten years.
If you file a registered EU design with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), you should keep an eye not only on the application fee but also on the later renewal fees. Protection initially lasts five years and can then be extended step by step up to a maximum of 25 years — uniformly across all 27 EU member states. Since the EU Design Reform of 1 May 2025, new fees apply.
EU Design: Which Official Fees Does the EUIPO Charge? read more
Anyone who files a patent application usually wants to know early on: When will it become a granted patent?
There is no general answer to this question. The duration of a German patent grant procedure depends not only on the processing time at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, but also on the chosen filing strategy.
How long does it take from filing a German patent application to patent grant? read more
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the summer, the whole world will be watching the action on the pitch. But it is also worth taking a look behind the scenes: few events bring together so many industrial property rights in such a concentrated space as a World Cup tournament. Even the ball rolling across the grass is a small lesson in intellectual property.
Selected IP rights show how patents, designs and trademarks interact in modern football.
How Much Intellectual Property Is Behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup? read more
Our new PCT Phase Entry Fee Calculator provides applicants, in-house IP departments and foreign patent attorneys with a practical first estimate of deadlines and official fees for entering the German national phase or European regional phase from a PCT application.
Introducing Our PCT Phase Entry Fee Calculator read more
An international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) gives applicants the advantage of initially covering more than 150 contracting states with a single filing. However, this does not yet create patent protection in Germany. By the end of the international phase at the latest, the application must be moved into the national phase before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) or into the European regional phase before the European Patent Office (EPO). Applicants opting for the direct route via the DPMA should pay particular attention to the 31-month deadline as well as the required formalities and official fees.
