Through a quick and easy application process, each Belgian SME can save up to EUR 2.250 per application. The EU SME fund offers partial reimbursements of trade mark, design and patent application fees as well as IP Scan services from 2022 to 2024. The IP Scan service can help companies identify their intellectual property assets and gives advice on how to protect these assets.
The European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office launched in January the new 2023 EU SME Fund, which offers intellectual property vouchers for EU-based SMEs. The EU SME Fund, with its total budget of EUR 60,1 million for 2022-24 (EUR 27,1 million for 2023) , offers the following services:
- Reimburse 90% of the fees charged by Member States for IP Scan services;
- Reimburse 75% of the fees charged by intellectual property offices (including national intellectual property offices, the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the Benelux Intellectual Property Office) for trademark and design registration;
- Reimburse 50 % of the fees charged by the World Intellectual Property Office for obtaining international trade mark and design protection.
From March, the SME Fund will also:
· Reimburse 75% of the fees charged by national patent offices and the European Patent Office for the registration of patents;
· Reimburse 50% of the application fees charged by the Community Plant Variety Office for the registration of new plant varieties;
· From the second half of 2023, costs of initial enforcement-related advice could be also covered.
For the first time, the 2023 SME Fund will also cover European patents to stimulate innovation and investment and plant variety protection to improve food security.
The action will be implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office through calls for proposals. The applications will be examined and evaluated based on a first comes first served criterion.
For more information about the SME Fund: SME Fund 2023 (europa.eu)
