Features of Italian design patent application process

yes

UIBM conducts substantive examination for the first application, and does not conduct substantive examination for applications with priority that are not submitted for the first time. The applicant can request to disclose in advance, so that the official can enter the actual examination process in advance. The applicant shall pay the official fee for the application fee at the same time on the day of filing, and obtain the official fee receipt accordingly, otherwise the filing date will be the date of payment of the fee; the European Patent Office conducts a prior art search and issues a search report and written opinion. If the written opinion contains an opposition, the response shall be submitted to the Italian Patent Office for examination.

yes

6-8 months

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• Ways to take effect in the EU: 3 months from the date of grant of the European patent.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.

• Licensing Fee: None.
• Annuity: payable annually starting from the 5th year from the filing date; if the annual fee is due while the application is still under review, it should be paid within 4 months from the date of granted. All subsequent annual fees should be paid in advance by the last day of the month in which the filing date falls. If the applicant declares to provide a non-exclusive license to the public, the annual fee for maintaining the patent right can be reduced by 50%; if the annual fee is not paid within the time limit, it can be paid within 6 months of the due date, and a late fee of 100.00 Euros will be paid ; The annual fee can be paid accumulatively.

yes. UIBM may require the applicant to change the patent type from invention to utility model.

Reinstatement of priority is accepted on the grounds of "all due care".