Term of Patent

The term of a patent shall be 20 years as from the filing date of the application for the invention.

For maintaining the patent in force, the proprietor of the patent shall pay yearly administrative fees under the special regulation. The rights of third persons, which after expiry of the time limit for payment of the fee for maintaining the patent in force, in good faith have begun to use the subject-matter of the invention or have realised serious and effective preparations to use this invention, shall not be affected by the payment of this fee in ulterior date.

Lapse of a patent

A patent shall lapse:

• – on expiry of its term of validity;
• – if the corresponding administrative fees have not been paid in good time by the proprietor of the patent;
• – on relinquishment by the proprietor of the patent; in such case, the patent shall terminate as from the date on which the Office receives a written declaration by the proprietor of the patent.