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

• Licensing Fee: None.
• Annuity: After the patent is granted, the annual fee shall be paid year by year from the third year of the application date, and the annual fee shall be paid before the last day of the month in which the application date is located. If the annual fee is overdue, it can be postponed and paid within 6 months after the due date at the latest, but additional penaltys are required. The penalty for the 3rd to 10th year is 85.00 euros, and the penalty for the 11th to 20th year is 230.00 euros.

The initial protection is 5 years, which can be renewed 4 times, each time for 5 years, and the maximum protection can be 25 years.

yes

no

The novelty grace period is 12 months before the filing date/priority date.

no

Belgian Federal Government Intellectual Property Office

English: The Belgian Intellectual Property Office, Abbreviation: IPObel

Website: Intellectual property | FPS Economy (fgov.be)

Belgian invention patent search: Search in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) | CBE Public Search (fgov.be)

• via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
• EU route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
• Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.

Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.

• Licensing Fee: None.
• Annuity: The renewal fee is paid every 5 years. If the annual fee is overdue, the payment can be postponed within 6 months after the due date at the latest, but an additional penalty of 12.00 euros is required.