Which is the competent authority for patent applications for inventions in Poland?

2-4 years

The PPO conducts formal and substantive examinations of invention patent applications. There is no need to file a request for substantive examination, and the substantive examination starts automatically.

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
• Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: 3 months from the date of European patent grant.

If disclosed by the author or his successor, the novelty grace period shall be enjoyed within 12 months after the first disclosure.

10 years

The PPO only conducts formality examination of the design, and does not examine novelty and uniqueness.

yes

yes

The PPO only conducts formality examination of utility model patent applications, only examines novelty and industrial applicability, and does not examine inventive step.

yes. An invention applicant may propose to change the type of invention from an invention to a utility model during the process of examining the application or within two months from the date of the final decision on the refusal to grant a patent. The utility model application shall be deemed to have been filed from the date of the invention application. A utility model application converted from an invention must fully meet the requirements for utility model documents.