International treaties

for acquisition of rights effective abroad, and/or for facilitating acquisition of rights

Protection granted by the Hungarian Patent Office is effective on the territory of the Republic of Hungary. Protection covering countries abroad may be obtained

• by filing applications with the industrial property authority of the given country, and/or
• by filing applications with the competent international authorities based on international agreements.

In the field of patents

Rights acquisition abroad is facilitated by the Patent Cooperation Treaty, in the framework of which the procedure for grant of a patent (utility model protection) with effect in any or all contracting states may be started by filing a single application written in one language with one authority. The procedure does not result in direct protection, grant of the patent should be applied for country by country within a fixed time limit laid down by legislation, and the granting procedure is also done country by country.

By virtue of the Munich Agreement of 5 October 1973 on the grant of European Patents (European Patent Convention) European patents may be claimed. On the basis of the European patent application there is an opportunity to obtain protection in all the Contracting States.

In the field of trademarks

By virtue of the Madrid Agreement on the international registration of trademarks and the related Madrid Protocol, by filing a single international application protection may be obtained in 79 countries currently.

On the basis of the Community Trademark Regulation, by filing a community trademark application one may obtain protection with effect on the whole territory of the European Union.

In the field of designs

By virtue of the Hague Agreement on the international deposit of industrial designs, by filing a single international application one may obtain protection in 44 countries currently. By a Community design application, protection effective on the whole territory of the European Union may be obtained, in accordance with the Community Design Regulation.

In the field of geographical indications

By virtue of the Lisbon Agreement concerning the protection and international registration of appellations of origin, by filing a single international application protection may be obtained in 24 countries currently.

By a Community application, protection may be obtained in the whole territory of the European Union for the geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products or foodstuffs, on the basis of the relevant Community regulation.