Maintenance of Rights

For maintaining the rights from the application in value and the granted patent or registered utility model, it is mandatory to pay the prescribed annual fee, the amount of which varies depending on the year of validity. Otherwise, the right ceases to be valid even before the expiration of the anticipated duration, immediately upon expiry of the prescribed time limits for annual payment of maintenance costs.

The first two years of maintaining the rights are included in the fee and costs of filing the application, so that the first obligation to maintain the rights from the application falls due for the third year of their maintenance.

The patent is the private property of its holder, and therefore the responsibility for maintaining the patent in value is solely on him, without prior invitation by the Office, the same applies to the utility model.

Upon expiry of the protection, any interested person is free to use the invention without the need to seek the permission of the previous patent holder.