The Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office ( EUIPO ) have launched a new EU SME Fund, which offers vouchers to EU-based SMEs to help them protect their intellectual property (IP) rights.
This is the second EU Fund to support SMEs in the COVID-19 recovery and green and digital transitions over the next three years (2022-2024).
The EU SME Fund, with a budget of EUR 47 million, will provide the following support:
- Reimbursement of 90 % of the fees charged by Member States for IP pre-diagnostic services, which provide a comprehensive assessment of the intellectual property needs of the applicant SME, taking into account the innovation potential of its intangible assets;
- Reimbursement of 75 % of the fees charged by intellectual property offices (including national intellectual property offices, the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the Benelux Intellectual Property Office) for the registration of trademarks and designs;
- Reimbursement of 50 % of the fees charged by the World Intellectual Property Organization for obtaining international trademark and design protection;
- Reimbursement of 50 % of the fees charged by national patent offices for patent registration in 2022;
- From 2023, other services may be covered, such as partial reimbursement of the costs of prior art search, patent application and private IP consultancy costs charged by IP lawyers (for patent registration, license agreements, IP valuations, alternative dispute resolution costs, etc.).
SMEs need a set of flexible intellectual property instruments and fast financing to protect their innovations. So for the first time, the new EU SME Fund now also covers patents.
The Commission's financial contribution of EUR 2 million will be entirely allocated to patent-related services. For example, an SME could request reimbursement of the registration fee for patenting its invention in a Member State.
EUIPO will manage the SME Fund through CALL FOR PROPOSALS and the first call has already been launched on the EUIPO website.
In order to ensure fair and equal treatment of potential beneficiaries, as well as to safeguard efficient management of the action, grant applications may be submitted throughout the period 2022-2024.
Applications will be reviewed and evaluated on a first-in-first-out basis. SMEs without intellectual property experience are encouraged to apply initially for an IP pre-diagnostic service and only later for other services.
A special session on the SME Fund will be dedicated at the European Industry Days (February 8-11, 2022), which will allow SMEs to ask questions of the experts managing the Fund and receive a practical guide on how to apply for the different services.
The special session is scheduled for February 11, 2022, and can be followed remotely by registering for the European Industry Days.
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Source: CE
