General Information | Patents of Invention
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General Information

Area: 20,251 sq. km.
Population: 2,000,000 inhabitants (estimated 1998).
Capital: Ljubljana, with 330,000 inhabitants.
Language: Slovenian.
Currency: Slovenian tolar.

GENERAL REMARKS

Slovenia used to be a part of former Yugoslavia. The republic declared its independence on June 25, 1991. The former Yugoslav industrial property rights granted prior to April 4, 1992, had to be re-registered at the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office until March 1, 1994. The first Industrial Property Law of April 1992 was replaced by a new Act in 2001, which is in accordance with EU guidelines.
New member of the European Union as of May 1, 2004.

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Patents of Invention

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Law, adopted on May 23, 2001, in force as of December 7, 2001.

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 12, 1992.
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), as of March 1, 1994.
• European Patent Organization, full membership since December 1, 2002.
• Budapest Treaty, since March 12, 1998.

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney, no legalization (can be subsequently filed);
• Specification, claims (German type) and abstract;
• Drawings, if any;
• Certified copy of the priority application(s), if any.

REMARKS

National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I: 31 months; under Chapter II: 31 months.
Validity: issued after a formal examination, and valid for 20 years, provided that prior to the ninth year of validity, written evidence that the invention satisfies the novelty and inventive level requirements is presented.
Annuities: are due for the fourth and each following year from the Filing date for patent applications and patents counting from the filing date.
Opposition: not provided for.

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Trade and Service Marks

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Law, in force as of December 7, 2001.

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 12, 1992.
• Madrid Agreement, since June 12, 1992.
• Madrid Protocol, since March 12, 1998.
• Nice Agreement.

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney, not legalized (can be subsequently filed);
• If the mark is other than a word in block lettering, 6 black and white prints (max. 8 x 8 cm); if the mark is in color, 6 color specimens;
• List of goods and services, grouped according to the international classification;
• Priority Certificate, if any.

REMARKS

Kinds of protection: verbal, pictorial, three-dimensional and other designations or their combination. Service marks are registrable.
Classification: International.
Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period after the registration date may lead to cancellation.
Duration - renewals: 10-year period after the filing date or last renewal date.
Opposition: can be filed against the mark within three months after publication by the owner of an earlier mark on relative grounds.

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Industrial Designs

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Law, in force as of December 7, 2001.

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 12, 1992.
• Locarno Agreement.
• The Hague Agreement.

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney, not legalized (can be subsequently filed);
• 3 photographs or 3 drawings, size 16 x 16 cm;
• Priority certificate, if any.

REMARKS

Duration - renewals: after formal examination: 25 years from the filing date.
Opposition: not provided for.

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Domain Names

LEGAL BASIS

• There is no specific legislation although some regulations on the organization and management of country code top-level domain names do exist.

FILING

• ccTLD: .si
• Applicant: legal entities only, provided that they fulfill the following criteria (a) their principal office is in Slovenia and is registered in the Business Register of the Slovenian Statistics Office; (b) the main subsidiary of a foreign commercial entity engaged in activities on the territory of Slovenia if it is inscribed in the Business Register of the Slovenian Statistics Office; (c) diplomatic or consular representative offices of foreign states in Slovenia; (d) international organizations of which Slovenia is a member.
• Local Presence: required.

REMARKS

Duration - renewals: unlimited.
Uniform dispute resolution procedure: none.

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If you wish more detailed information concerning intellectual property protection in this territory please contact us or order Katzarov’s Manual on Industrial Property®.

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