During 2021, SMEs wishing to register their trademarks or designs can benefit from a partial reimbursement of their registration fees.
To do so, they can use the “IP voucher”: an initiative of the European Commission, the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office), in collaboration with the national intellectual property offices.
The companies concerned (only SMEs) can thus receive a maximum reimbursement of 50% of their basic fees for registration procedures for trademarks or designs.
In concrete terms, for the registration of a Benelux trademark, €122 can be refunded (50% of €244). For the registration of a Benelux design, the maximum refund is €75 (50% of €150).
The “IP voucher” can also be used for registration procedures for trademarks and designs in the European Union.
The application periods for the “IP vouchers” are set every two months, and each time for a period of one month. The current period ends on 31 March. The other periods will be
– 1 to 31 May
– 1 to 31 July
– 1 to 30 September.