Attention: 2025 SMEs Fund now open, but Funds for Patents and Plant Variety Rights are already exhausted
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the European Commission have recently launched the SME Fund 2025 (How to apply - overview - EUIPO).
The SME Fund 2025 allows EU-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to request a partial reimbursement of costs related to their intellectual property rights. Grants for 2025 are now available and can be applied for until 5 December 2025 or until the funds are exhausted.
It is important to note that even though the SME Fund for 2025 was launched on February 3, 2025, vouchers 3 (Patents) and 4 (Plant Variety Rights) have been unavailable for new applications since February 10, 2025, as funds have been exhausted due to the high number of requests received. Applications for vouchers 1 (IP Scans) and 2 (Trade marks and designs) are still possible.
Reimbursements can be obtained via 4 different types of vouchers (until funds are exhausted):
Voucher 1 can be used with IP scans and IP scan enforcement.
IP scans can be used for an IP pre-diagnostic service provided by an EU national IP office to identify your potential intellectual properties and teach you how to incorporate an IP strategy into your company’s business plan. Unfortunately, IP scans are not offered in all EU Member States under the SME Fund, but alternatives are sometimes available. For example, the IP scan is unavailable in Belgium, but an alternative pre-diagnostic intellectual property analysis service is available (Prediagnostische dienst voor intellectuele eigendom | FOD Economie).
Besides IP scans, voucher 1 also applies to IP scan enforcement services, which address the assessment of existing or potential conflicts related to IP rights infringement.
Voucher 1 reimburses 90% of the costs of an IP scan or IP scan enforcement, up to a maximum amount of EUR 1 350.
Voucher 2 reimburses costs associated with trademarks and designs.
A refund of these costs can be requested for the following activities, with a maximum reimbursable amount of EUR 700 (instead of EUR 1 000 in 2024):
75% reimbursement of EU trademark and/or Community design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication, and deferment of publication fees.
75% reimbursement of national or regional trademark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication, and deferment of publication fees.
50% reimbursement of international trademark (Madrid) and/or design (The Hague) basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees outside the EU. Designation fees for EU countries are included. Handling fees charged by the office of origin are excluded. The application of this type of protection should be done through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Voucher 3 reimburses costs associated with national or European patent applications and prior art searches.
SMEs can receive a 75% reimbursement of the official fees related to filing, search, publication and grant of a national patent application or of costs of prior art searches provided by a national IP office of an EU member state and/or the Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI).
The maximum reimbursable amount for costs associated with national patent applications and prior art searches is EUR 1 000.
On top of this, 75% of the filing and search fees for European patent applications filed at the EPO can be reimbursed. In addition, 50% of the legal costs for drafting and filing European patent applications can be reimbursed, up to a maximum amount of EUR 1 500, and if it is done by a qualified European patent attorney.
The total amount of reimbursement with this voucher is EUR 2 500.
Please note that application for voucher 3 is currently unavailable due to the exhaustion of the funds.
Voucher 4 reimburses costs associated with Community Plant Variety Rights.
The voucher can partially reimburse costs associated with Community Plant Variety Protection at the EU level. In particular, the online application fees for a community plant variety right, as well as the examination fees, can be reimbursed for 75%, with a maximum amount of EUR 1 500.
Please note that application for voucher 4 is currently unavailable due to the exhaustion of the funds.
It is further important to note that an SME can only be awarded each voucher type once. An awarded voucher is valid for two months (extendible by two months on request) and only reimburses costs incurred after the voucher is awarded.
For more information contact our experts at info@dcp-ip.com.
