LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Patents (Official Gazette "Sl. glasnik BiH" No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011.

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, as of March 1, 1992.
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), as of September 7, 1996.
• Extension to European Patent (according to Agreement of Cooperation), as of December 1, 2004.

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: 34 months; under Chapter II: 34 months.
Validity: Consensual Patent, issued after formal examination: valid for 10 years; Patent, issued after substantial examination: valid for 20 years.
Annuities: are due starting from the first and each following year for patent applications and patents counting from the filing date (or international filing date for PCT applications).
Opposition: not provided for, but interested parties can notify the Intellectual Property Office about the existence of an identical or similar invention.

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Trademarks (Official Gazette "Sl. glasnik BiH" No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, as of March 1, 1992.
• Madrid Agreement, as of June 2, 1993.
• Madrid Protocol, as of January 27, 2009.

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney, not legalized (can be subsequently filed);
• 2 black and white prints (max 8 x 8 cm). If the mark is in color, 2 color prints and 2 black and white prints (8 x 8 cm);
• List of goods and services; grouped according to the international classification;
• Priority document, if any.

REMARKS

Kinds of protection: verbal, pictorial, three-dimensional and other designations or their combination. Certification marks and service marks are registrable.
Classification: International.
Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period after the publication date or the last date of use may lead to cancellation.
Duration - renewals: 10-year period after the filing date; renewable for further periods of 10 years.
Opposition: to be filed within 3 months from the publication date.

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Industrial Designs (Official Gazette "Sl. glasnik BiH" No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011.

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, as of March 1, 1992.
• Hague Agreement, Geneva Act, as of December 24, 2008.

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• Optional description of the design, optional description of how it differs from other designs and its purpose;
• 3 sets of photographs or formal drawings (min. size 3 x 3 cm, max. size 16 x 16 cm, of professional quality);
• 3 sets of photographs/formal drawings are required for each individual design in a series application;
• Priority document (if any), to be filed within three months from the filing date; a translation is required (if not in English), no legalization.

REMARKS

Duration - renewals: after formal and complete examination: 5 years from the filing date; renewable four times for additional 5 years .
Opposition: to be filed within 3 months from the publication date.

LEGAL BASIS

• Regulations on Registration and Use of Domain Names under Country Top Level Name .BA.

FILING

• ccTLD: .ba
• Applicant: individuals and legal entities.
• Local Presence: not required. If a foreign legal entity does not have a local representative office then it has to appoint a legal entity or an individual with a local presence.

REMARKS

Duration - renewals: one to five years, renewable for like periods.
Uniform dispute resolution procedure: none.