Painting by Sava Sumanovic, Serbian artist (1896-1942)

Answers to the most FAQs about intellectual property in SERBIA

Patents

• Extension/validation of EP is possible
• It is possible to expedite examination based on patent granted in another jurisdiction (US or EP)
• Software is not registrable as a patent
• Patent annuity can be paid within 3 months ahead of due date
• Grace period for patent annuity payment is 6 months
• Extract from commercial register is required to record address and/or name change
• License agreement, assignment deed or simply executed assignment form is required to record license or assignment
• If not recorded then license or assignment does not have legitimacy against third parties

Trademarks

• Multi class trade/service mark application is possible
• Three dimensional mark is registrable
• Single color per se is registrable as trade/service mark under certain conditions.
• Approximate time from application till registration is 12 months
• It is possible to expedite examination for trademark related to pharmaceutical products
• The IP Office is examining absolute and relative grounds and opposition is not provided
• Cancellation of trademark registration is possible
• Tolerable non use period is 5 years from date of registration, or from last serious use
• Trade/service mark registration can be renewed within 6 months ahead of renewal due date
• Grace period for trade/ service mark renewal is 6 months
• No documents are needed to record trademark owner's address and/or name change
• License agreement, assignment deed or simply executed assignment form is required to record license or assignment
• If not recorded then license or assignment does not have legitimacy against third parties
• Customs registration of trademark is possible providing monitoring of possible counterfeits

Country general information

• 88.361 sq km
• Country boundaries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro
• Population: 10,150,265
• Capital: Belgrade
• GDP: $19.19 billion
• GDP per capita: $ 4.400
• GDP economic structure (ca.): Agriculture 17%, Industry 25%, and Services 58%