Up to €2500 funding for SMEs to protect thier trademarks, patents and designs

The SME Fund, a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has been launched once again this year and will run till the 6^th of December 2024. Funds are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

The SME Fund offers financial support to SMEs established in the European Union. The application can be filed by an owner, an employee or an authorised representative of an EU SME acting on its behalf.

In this regard, the Commerce Department is collaborating with the EUIPO to offer financial support/grants to those SMEs by providing 75% reimbursement of trademark, design fees and patent fees at EU and national level. The grant consists of a partial reimbursement of costs to the beneficiary, up to a maximum of €1,000 per beneficiary in the case of trademarks and designs and €1,500 per beneficiary in the case of patents.

In 2024, in addition to these services, the SME Fund will also reimburse partially the representation costs charged by legal professionals relating to the preparation and the filing of European patent applications.

Applicants can apply at any point in time until 06/12/2024

The call for proposals have opened according to the timeframe below:

• Call submission period: from 22/01/2024 to 06/12/2024

• Evaluation of the submitted applications during the period: weekly cut-off: every Friday

• Evaluation and notification period: 10 working days from cut-off

The weekly cut-off means that all the applications submitted during the preceding week will go through the evaluation step.

In the event that the EUIPO contacts the applicant during the evaluation process to request complementary information, suspension of the evaluation and notification period takes effect on the date the EUIPO sends the request. The period resumes from the date on which the requested information or revised documents are received.

Applicants will be notified individually about the results of the evaluation process by email to the contact persons provided in the eForm. Therefore, it is responsibility of the applicant to submit the correct email address of the contact person(s).

This notification will contain for:

• Unsuccessful applicants: the reasons for the negative decision;

• Successful applicants: the confirmation of the positive decision and a copy of the Grant Decision (VOUCHER) as attachment.

It is important to note that vouchers are not retroactive, costs for activities executed before getting the grant decision cannot be reimbursed.

Should all the funds be used before the end of the call submission period, the online application system (eForm) will be closed and applicants will be informed accordingly on the SME FUND website. 

Applicants will need to click on https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/online-services/sme-fund and proceed with filling the relative application form. After receiving the voucher, the SME can apply for their trademark and/or design and/or patent on https://ips.gov.mt/ or for an EU application on https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/apply-now and/or https://www.epo.org/en/applying and thereafter, for the reimbursement with the EUIPO.

More details can be found at: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/online-services/sme-fund