How is a patent obtained?

To obtain a patent, a formal application needs to be filed with the national qualified authority. In Belgium , this is the “Office for Industrial Property” which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In The Netherlands, this is the committee for the Industrial Property in The Hague . For European applications it is the European Patent Office, either in The Hague or in Munich . For International applications (PCT), the patent application can be filed in all above-mentioned offices, also with the International Office in Geneva.

The application has to be accompanied by a full description of the invention in the appropriate language.

The filing of a patent application is subject to different fees (filing fee, search fee etc.).