Painting by Vlado Bukovac, Croatian artist (1855-1922)

Answers to the most FAQs about intellectual property in CROATIA

Patents

• Validation of EP is possible 
• It is possible to expedite examination based on patent granted in another jurisdiction (US or EP)
• Approximate time from request of validation till grant of validation of EP is 3-6 months
• Software is not registrable as a patent
• Patent annuity can be paid within 12 months ahead of due date
• Grace period for patent annuity payment is 6 months
• Extract from the 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 are in generally registrable but the IP Office is restrictive in evaluation of distinctiveness
• It is possible to register color per se solely if acquired distinctiveness can be proved
• Approximate time from application till registration is 1 year
• It is not possible to expedite examination for trademark related to pharmaceutical products
• The IP Office is examining only absolute grounds and opposition is provided within 3 months following the publication
• 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 1 year ahead of renewal due date
• Grace period for trade/ service mark renewal is 6 months
• Extract from commercial register is not needed to record trademark owners address and/or name change The Power of Attorney indicating the new owner's name/address is sufficient
• License agreement, assignment deed or simply executed assignment form is required to record license or assignment
• If not recorded license and assignment does not have legitimacy against third parties
• Customs registration of trademark is possible providing monitoring of possible counterfeits

Country general information

• 56.542 sq km
• Country boundaries: Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Hungary
• Population: 4,493,312
• Capital: Zagreb
• GDP: $37.42 billion
• GDP per capita: $ 13.400
• GDP economy structure (approximate): Agriculture 7%, Industry 30%, and Services 63%