It is protected for 10 years from the date of application, and can be renewed for 3 times, each time for 5 years, with a maximum protection of 25 years.
A novelty grace period of 6 months is available if:
- The applicant or the original right holder obviously abused the
- Exhibited by the applicant or the original right holder at an official or officially recognized exhibition
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" and "unintentional/due care" accepted.
1 month
no
yes. For an invention with the same subject matter, the applicant may file a patent type conversion request within 2 months from the date of receiving the patent application decision, but no later than 10 years from the application date, and change the patent type from invention to utility model .
no
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.
2-5 years
yes. Designs in the same category, or belonging to the same set or combination of articles, may contain several designs in one design (this condition does not apply when the product containing or attached to the design is an ornament).
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- The way of the Hague Agreement: The Hague Agreement will automatically take effect in Bulgaria after 6 months from the registration of the Hague Agreement.
- EU appearance route: 6 months from the earliest priority date.