From February 3rd, 2025 the EU SME Fund “Ideas Powered for Business” is available to small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in order to help these companies to protect their intellectual property (IP) rights. The SME Fund is a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The procedure is very simple and, once you have verified that the requirements to be considered an SME have been met, only certain documentation is required. The following steps must be followed when processing the grant:
In addition to completing the corresponding application form, the VAT certificate, the company’s bank statement and a signed declaration from the SME must be provided (only if the application is submitted through a representative).
The most important thing to bear in mind is that the grant must be requested first and if it is granted, then the trademark, design, patent, etc. can be applied for. In addition, the SME must pay the corresponding official fees.
From that moment the refund of the fees can be requested in the maximum amount set:
If you are an SME and you are interested in protecting IP rights, at Abril Abogados we can resolve all issues related to this matter
