The novelty grace period is 6 months before the filing date/priority date.
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.
3 months
yes. A maximum of 50 designs may be included under the same Locarno category.
Filing Language: Dutch/French/German Necessary documents:
- Exterior Design Picture (Six Views)
- A Brief Description
Attachments (if any):
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: 3 months from the date of European patent grant.
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)
1-2 years
IPObel conducts only formality examination of invention patent applications. The applicant needs to submit a search request within 13 months from the date of the latest application. The search report will be issued by the EPO with a written opinion on patentability, but it is not binding. The patent application is completed within 18 months from the earliest priority date Authorization can be obtained after publication.
20 years, and the protection of pesticide or pharmaceutical patents can be extended to 25 years.
no