With SME's representing over 99% of all European enterprises and providing 67% of total employment in Europe, they are crucial to the European Economy.
The European Commission in a collaboration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) are organising a significant number of initiatives for SME's, within the context of a strategic programme.
Through this programme, the EUIPO addresses the need to make IP services more accessible for smaller businesses and encourage them to increase their competitiveness through better use and protection of intellectual property rights.
Within the post-COVID-19 recovery action plan for EU SME's, the EUIPO is financially supporting an action, the 'SME Fund', with a total of €20 million, to support EU SME's that wish to protect their Trademarks and Designs by using part of the EUIPO's financial reserves. EUIPO will implement this action through the awarding of grants to SME's in accordance with a pre-defined set of principles and criteria.
In line with this, the EUIPO is offering to help SMEs by providing a 50% reimbursement of the application fee incurred when applying for trademark or design protection at any of the national IP offices of the EU (at national level), at the Benelux Office of Intellectual Property or at the EUIPO (covering all EU member states).
There's no limit to the number of trademarks and/or design application that the SME can apply for. However, the SME will be reimbursed 50% of the basic application fees up to a maximum of €1,500.
SME's can apply for the grant at EUIPO through this , apply for a trademark or design registration within 30 days of receiving the grant decision from the EUIPO, and after having paid for the application, submit a request for payment before 31 December 2021.
