Opozorilo: Neuradno prečiščeno besedilo predpisa predstavlja zgolj informativni delovni pripomoček, glede katerega organ ne jamči odškodninsko ali kako drugače.

Neuradno prečiščeno besedilo Zakona o industrijski lastnini obsega:
- Zakon o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1 (Uradni list RS, št. 45/01 z dne 7. 6. 2001),
- Zakon o spremembi zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1A (Uradni list RS, št. 96/02 z dne 14. 11. 2002),
- Zakon o industrijski lastnini – uradno prečiščeno besedilo – ZIL-1-UPB1 (Uradni list RS, št. 7/03 z dne 23. 1. 2003),
- Zakon o spremembi zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1B (Uradni list RS, št. 37/04 z dne 15. 4. 2004),
- Zakon o industrijski lastnini – uradno prečiščeno besedilo – ZIL-1-UPB2 (Uradni list RS,
št. 102/04 z dne 21. 9. 2004),
- Zakon o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1C (Uradni list
RS, št. 20/06 z dne 24. 2. 2006),
- Zakon o industrijski lastnini – uradno prečiščeno besedilo – ZIL-1-UPB3 (Uradni list RS, št. 51/06 z dne 18. 5. 2006),
- Zakon o spremembi Zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1D (Uradni list RS, št. 100/13 z
dne 6. 12. 2013).

Z A K O N

O INDUSTRIJSKI LASTNINI (ZIL-1)

(neuradno prečiščeno besedilo št. 7)

Prvo poglavje
TEMELJNA NAČELA

1. člen

(vsebina zakona)

(1) Ta zakon določa vrste pravic industrijske lastnine po tem zakonu in postopke za podelitev in registracijo teh pravic, sodno varstvo pravic in zastopanje strank v postopkih po tem zakonu.
(2) Pravice industrijske lastnine po tem zakonu so patent, dodatni varstveni certifikat, model, znamka in geografska označba.
(3) Ta zakon prenaša v pravni red Republike Slovenije določbe Direktive št.
98/44/ES Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta z dne 6. julija 1998 o pravnem varstvu biotehnoloških izumov (UL L št. 213, z dne 30. 7. 1998, str. 13), Direktive št. 98/71/ES
Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta z dne 13. oktobra 1998 o pravnem varstvu modelov (UL L
št. 289, z dne 28. 10. 1998, str. 28), Prve direktive 89/104/ES z dne 21. decembra 1988 o približevanju zakonodaje držav članic v zvezi z blagovnimi znamkami (UL L št. 40, z dne 11.
2. 1989, str. 1) in Direktive 2004/48/ES Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta z dne 29. aprila
2004 o uveljavljanju pravic intelektualne lastnine (UL L št. 195, z dne 2. 6. 2004, str. 16).

2. člen

(enakost tujih in domačih oseb)

(1) Pravne in fizične osebe, ki so pripadniki tujih držav, uživajo glede varstva pravic industrijske lastnine v Republiki Sloveniji enake pravice kot domače pravne ali fizične osebe oziroma domači pripadniki v skladu s Sporazumom o trgovinskih vidikih pravic intelektualne lastnine z dne 15. aprila 1994 (Uradni list RS-MP, št. 10/95, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Sporazum TRIPs) ali z uporabo načela vzajemnosti.
(2) Obstoj vzajemnosti dokazuje tisti, ki se nanjo sklicuje.

3. člen

(prijava za pridobitev pravic industrijske lastnine)

(1) Ob upoštevanju 17. člena tega zakona se pridobitev posamezne pravice industrijske lastnine v Republiki Sloveniji zahteva z nacionalno prijavo, vloženo pri Uradu Republike Slovenije za intelektualno lastnino (v nadaljnjem besedilu: Urad) v skladu s tem zakonom.
(2) Pridobitev pravic industrijske lastnine v Republiki Sloveniji se lahko zahteva tudi na podlagi prijav, vloženih v tujini, če je to v skladu z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo. Pravni učinek pravic industrijske lastnine, podeljenih ali registriranih na podlagi takih prijav, je izenačen s pravicami industrijske lastnine, ki so podeljene ali registrirane na podlagi nacionalnih prijav, razen če je z mednarodno pogodbo določeno drugače.
(3) Ista oseba ne more pridobiti posamezne pravice industrijske lastnine na podlagi nacionalne prijave, če je za pridobitev iste pravice prej vložila prijavo po prejšnjem odstavku.
(4) Pridobitev pravic industrijske lastnine v tujini se lahko zahteva tudi na podlagi prijav, vloženih pri Uradu, če je to v skladu z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.

4. člen

(načelo prednosti prve prijave)

Kadar dva ali več prijaviteljev vloži prijave za pridobitev varstva za isti izum, videz izdelka ali znak v Republiki Sloveniji, ima tisti prijavitelj, ki ima zgodnejši datum prijave ali prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana, prednost pred drugim prijaviteljem.

5. člen

(Urad)

(1) Glavne naloge Urada so:
a) sprejemanje prijav, s katerimi se zahteva pridobitev pravic industrijske lastnine;
b) samostojno in neodvisno vodenje postopkov za podelitev patentov ter registracijo modelov, znamk in geografskih označb ter podeljevanje patentov in registriranje modelov, znamk in geografskih označb;
c) vodenje registrov pravic industrijske lastnine in drugih registrov, ki jih določa ta zakon;
d) opravljanje informacijskih storitev v zvezi s pravicami industrijske lastnine;
e) zastopanje Republike Slovenije pri tujih in mednarodnih organizacijah, ki delujejo na področju industrijske lastnine, na podlagi stališč, navodil in pooblastil Vlade Republike
Slovenije;
f) opravljanje drugih zadev iz svoje pristojnosti.
(2) Urad izdaja svoje uradno glasilo, v katerem objavlja podatke o prijavah in pravicah industrijske lastnine.
(3) Urad vodi samostojno finančno poslovanje in evidentiranje v zvezi s pobiranjem in plačevanjem pristojbin po tem zakonu in plačilom storitev, opravljenih na podlagi 7. člena tega zakona.
(4) Urad vodi in za njegovo delo odgovarja direktor Urada, ki ga imenuje Vlada
Republike Slovenije.

6. člen

(odločanje Urada)

(1) V postopku podelitve ali registracije pravic industrijske lastnine, vzdrževanja njihove veljavnosti in postopkih pri vodenju registrov pravic in drugih registrov izdaja Urad odločbe, sklepe in druge akte na podlagi tega zakona. Če ta zakon nima ustreznih določb, se subsidiarno uporablja zakon, ki ureja splošni upravni postopek.
(2) Postopke v zvezi s prijavami po drugem ali četrtem odstavku 3. člena tega zakona vodi Urad na podlagi ustreznih mednarodnih pogodb, ki obvezujejo Republiko Slovenijo, ter pravil in navodil, ki so izdana za izvajanje teh mednarodnih pogodb. Če ustrezna mednarodna pogodba, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo, ter pravila in navodila, izdana za izvajanje te mednarodne pogodbe, nimajo ustreznih določb, se smiselno uporabljajo določbe tega zakona.

7. člen

(posredovanje informacij)

(1) Urad je ob upoštevanju 8. člena tega zakona dolžan vsakomur omogočiti vpogled v spis v zvezi s prijavo ter dostop do informacij o prijavah in podeljenih ali registriranih pravicah.
(2) Proti plačilu posreduje Urad informacije o stanju tehnike, ki so zajete v patentnih dokumentih, in opravlja druge storitve na področju informiranja in dokumentacije.
(3) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, izda odredbo o ceniku, s katero se določijo vrste in višina plačil iz prejšnjega odstavka.

8. člen

(tajnost in vpogled v prijave)

(1) Spisi v zvezi s patentno prijavo in prijavo modela so do objave patentne prijave v uradnem glasilu urada oziroma do registracije modela uradna tajnost.
(2) V spise, ki so uradna tajnost, je mogoče vpogledati le s soglasjem prijavitelja. (3) Vpogled v spis, ki je uradna tajnost, se brez soglasja prijavitelja dovoli tisti
osebi, ki dokaže, da jo je v zvezi z njenimi dejanji prijavitelj pisno opozoril na svojo prijavo in
obseg zahtevanega varstva.
(4) Če je bila patentna prijava, ki se nanaša na deponirani biološki material, zavrnjena ali umaknjena, je dostop do deponiranega biološkega materiala, če tako zahteva
prijavitelj, dovoljen do poteka dvajsetih let od datuma vložitve prijave le neodvisnemu izvedencu.
(5) Še pred objavo patentne prijave v uradnem glasilu Urada, lahko Urad objavi ali sporoči tretji osebi naslednje podatke:
a) številko prijave;
b) datum vložitve prijave in, če je zahtevana prednostna pravica, datum, državo oziroma urad in številko prve prijave;
c) podatke o prijavitelju (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firmo in sedež);
d) naziv izuma.

9. člen

(pristojbine)

(1) V zvezi s pridobitvijo in vzdrževanjem veljavnosti pravic po tem zakonu se plačujejo pristojbine. Pristojbine se plačujejo v rokih, določenih s tem zakonom. Višino pristojbin določi Vlada Republike Slovenije z uredbo.
(2) V postopkih, v katerih se po prejšnjem odstavku plačujejo pristojbine, se ne plačujejo takse po zakonu, ki ureja upravne takse.
(3) Če pristojbine v postopku niso pravočasno plačane ali če niso plačane v celoti, se šteje, da pristojbina ni plačana in da je vloga umaknjena, razen če ta zakon določa drugače. Na zahtevo plačnika Urad vrne plačani znesek.
Drugo poglavje
PATENT
1. oddelek
Patent in patent s skrajšanim trajanjem

10. člen

(predmet patentnega varstva)

(1) Patent se podeli za izum s slehernega področja tehnike, ki je nov, na inventivni ravni in industrijsko uporabljiv.
(2) Z uredbo Vlade Republike Slovenije se opredelijo natančnejši pogoji za podeljevanje patentov za posamezna področja tehnike z določenimi tehničnimi ali tehnološkimi posebnostmi.

11. člen

(izjeme iz patentnega varstva)

(1) Odkritja, znanstvene teorije, matematične metode in druga pravila, načrti, metode in postopki za duhovno aktivnost se neposredno kot taki ne štejejo za izume po 10. členu tega zakona.
(2) Patent ne sme biti podeljen za:
a) izum, katerega uporaba je v nasprotju z javnim redom ali moralo;
b) izum kirurškega ali diagnostičnega postopka ali postopka zdravljenja, ki se uporablja neposredno na živem človeškem ali živalskem telesu, razen izuma, ki se nanaša na izdelke, predvsem na snovi in zmesi, ki se uporabljajo pri takšnem postopku.

12. člen

(novost izuma)

(1) Izum je nov, če ni obsežen s stanjem tehnike.
(2) V stanje tehnike se šteje vse, kar je bilo pred datumom vložitve patentne prijave dostopno javnosti z ustnim ali pisnim opisom, z uporabo ali na katerikoli drug način. Učinek prednostne pravice je, da se za potrebe tega člena datum prednostne pravice šteje kot datum prijave.
(3) V stanju tehnike je zaobsežena tudi vsebina prijav, ki so bile vložene pred datumom iz prejšnjega odstavka in so bile objavljene na ta dan ali kasneje, in sicer:
a) nacionalnih patentnih prijav, kot so bile prvotno vložene pri Uradu;
b) prijav za evropski patent, kot so bile prvotno vložene pri Evropskem patentnem uradu (v nadaljnjem besedilu: EPU) na podlagi Konvencije o podeljevanju evropskih patentov z dne 5. oktobra 1973 (v nadaljnjem besedilu: EPK), če se z njimi zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji;
c) mednarodnih prijav, kot so bile prvotno vložene na podlagi Pogodbe o sodelovanju na področju patentov z dne 19. junija 1970, dopolnjene 2. oktobra 1979 in spremenjene 3.
februarja 1984 (Uradni list RS-MP, št. 19/93, v nadaljnjem besedilu: PCT), ki jih je Urad
prejel kot izbrani urad v skladu z 39. členom PCT.
(4) Ne glede na določbe prvega, drugega in tretjega odstavka tega člena se lahko snov ali zmes, ki je obsežena s stanjem tehnike, zavaruje s patentom za izum, ki se nanaša na snov ali zmes za uporabo pri postopku zdravljenja po točki b) drugega odstavka 11. člena tega zakona, če takšna uporaba ni obsežena s stanjem tehnike.

13. člen

(neškodljivo razkritje izuma)

(1) Ob uporabi 12. člena tega zakona se ne upošteva razkritje izuma, do katerega je prišlo v roku največ šest mesecev pred vložitvijo patentne prijave neposredno ali posredno zaradi:
a) očitne zlorabe v odnosu do prijavitelja ali njegovega pravnega prednika ali
b) dejstva, da je prijavitelj ali njegov pravni prednik razstavil izum na uradni ali uradno priznani mednarodni razstavi iz 62. člena tega zakona.
(2) Določba točke b) prejšnjega odstavka velja le, če prijavitelj v prijavi navede, da je bil izum na tak način razstavljen, in predloži o tem ustrezno potrdilo v skladu z drugim odstavkom 62. člena tega zakona.

14. člen

(inventivna raven)

(1) Šteje se, da je izum na inventivni ravni, če za strokovnjaka predmet izuma očitno ne izhaja iz stanja tehnike po drugem odstavku 12. člena tega zakona.
(2) Če so v stanju tehnike zaobseženi tudi dokumenti po tretjem odstavku 12. člena tega zakona, se ti dokumenti pri presoji inventivne ravni ne upoštevajo.
(3) Če vloži isti prijavitelj poleg prve patentne prijave, ki še ni bila objavljena, še kakšno patentno prijavo, ki se nanaša na isti predmet izuma kot prva, se prva patentna prijava ne upošteva pri presoji inventivne ravni druge patentne prijave.

15. člen

(industrijska uporabljivost)

Izum je industrijsko uporabljiv, če se predmet izuma lahko proizvede ali uporabi v katerikoli gospodarski dejavnosti, vključno s kmetijstvom.

16. člen

(predmet varstva patenta s skrajšanim trajanjem)

(1) Razen izuma za postopek, rastlinsko vrsto in živalsko pasmo se patent s skrajšanim trajanjem lahko podeli za izum, ki je nov, industrijsko uporabljiv in dosežen z ustvarjalnim delom.
(2) Šteje se da je izum dosežen z ustvarjalnim delom, če izkazuje določeno učinkovitost ali praktično prednost pri gospodarski uporabi.
(3) Določbe tega zakona, ki se nanašajo na patent, veljajo smiselno za patent s skrajšanim trajanjem, razen če ta zakon določa drugače.

17. člen

(zaupni izumi)

(1) Izum, ki je pomemben za obrambo ali varnost Republike Slovenije, se šteje za zaupnega in se prijavi pri ministrstvu, pristojnem za obrambo.
(2) O pogojih izkoriščanja zaupnega izuma, zlasti o plačilu za njegovo izkoriščanje, se neposredno dogovorita izumitelj in ministrstvo, pristojno za obrambo.
(3) Prijava za izum po prvem odstavku tega člena se lahko vloži pri Uradu, če ga ministrstvo, pristojno za obrambo, ne želi izkoriščati ali če soglaša z vložitvijo patentne prijave.

18. člen

(pravice iz patenta)

(1) Patent zagotavlja imetniku naslednje izključne pravice:
a) če je predmet patenta proizvod: preprečitev tretjim osebam, ki nimajo imetnikove privolitve, da izdelujejo, uporabljajo, ponujajo v prodajo, prodajajo ali v te namene uvažajo zadevni proizvod;
b) če je predmet patenta postopek: preprečitev tretjim osebam, ki nimajo imetnikove privolitve, da postopek uporabljajo in ponujajo v prodajo, prodajajo ali v te namene
uvažajo proizvod, ki je pridobljen neposredno s tem postopkom.
(2) Obseg patentnega varstva je določen z vsebino patentnih zahtevkov. Za razlago patentnih zahtevkov pa se uporabljajo tudi opis in skice.

19. člen

(omejitev pravic iz patenta)

Pravice iz 18. člena tega zakona se ne nanašajo na:
a) dejanja, storjena zasebno in za negospodarske namene;
b) raziskave in poizkuse vseh vrst, ki se nanašajo na predmet patenta, ne glede na njihov končni namen;
c) neposredno posamično pripravo zdravila v lekarni v skladu z zdravniškim navodilom ali
receptom ter dejanja, ki se nanašajo na tako pripravljeno zdravilo;
d) uporabo predmeta patentiranega izuma na ladjah drugih držav, v ladijskem trupu, strojih, škripčevju, palubni opremi in raznih dodatkih ladijske opreme, kadar te ladje začasno ali
slučajno priplujejo v vode Republike Slovenije, pod pogojem, da je izum tu uporabljen
izključno za potrebe ladje;
e) uporabo patentiranega izuma v konstrukcijah ali delovanju zračnih plovil ali kopenskih vozil drugih držav, ali v priborih teh plovil oziroma vozil, kadar začasno ali slučajno pridejo na ozemlje Republike Slovenije;
f) dejanja, predvidena v 27. členu Konvencije o mednarodnem civilnem letalstvu z dne 7. decembra 1944 (Uradni list FLRJ-MP, št. 3/54, 5/54, 9/61, 5/62, 11/63, 49/71, 62/73,
15/78, 2/80, Uradni list RS-MP, št. 9/92), kadar gre za letalo države, za katero veljajo
določbe navedenega člena konvencije.

20. člen

(pravica poprejšnje uporabe)

(1) Pravice, ki jih ima imetnik patenta na podlagi 18. člena tega zakona, nimajo pravnega učinka zoper osebo, ki je v dobri veri uporabljala izum v Republiki Sloveniji pred datumom prijave zadevnega patenta ali datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana, ali se pripravljala za njegovo uporabo, in ki nadaljuje s tako uporabo. Taka oseba zadrži pravico uporabljati izum, nima pa pravice dajati licence ali drugače razpolagati z izumom.
(2) Pravica osebe iz prejšnjega odstavka do nadaljevanja uporabe izuma se sme prenesti le skupaj z zadevnim podjetjem ali poslovno dejavnostjo, v kateri se uporablja izum ali so bile izvedene priprave za njegovo uporabo.

21. člen

(izčrpanje pravic iz patenta)

(1) Pravice iz patenta se ne nanašajo na dejanja v Republiki Sloveniji v zvezi s proizvodom, na katerega se patent nanaša, potem ko je imetnik ta proizvod dal na trg v Republiki Sloveniji ali se je to zgodilo z njegovim izrecnim soglasjem, razen če obstajajo razlogi, ki bi po pravu Republike Slovenije utemeljevali razširitev pravic iz patenta na taka dejanja.
(2) Izčrpanje pravic iz patenta po prejšnjem odstavku se lahko razširi prek ozemlja Republike Slovenije, če je to v skladu z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.

22. člen

(trajanje patenta)

(1) Ob upoštevanju tretjega odstavka 91. člena in ustreznih določb 109. člena tega zakona traja patent dvajset let od datuma vložitve prijave.
(2) Neposredno po izteku trajanja patenta se lahko za izum enkrat podaljša veljavnost patenta, in sicer za največ pet let, če je razglašeno vojno stanje ali podobne izredne razmere – za dobo trajanja takšnega stanja oziroma okoliščin.
(3) Neposredno po izteku trajanja patenta se lahko za izum v skladu z uredbo Vlade Republike Slovenije enkrat podeli dodatni varstveni certifikat, in sicer za največ pet let, če je predmet patenta proizvod ali postopek za proizvodnjo oziroma uporabo proizvoda, za katerega je pred pričetkom gospodarskega izkoriščanja potrebno izvesti z zakonom predpisani uradni postopek odobritve.

23. člen

(trajanje patenta s skrajšanim trajanjem)

Ob upoštevanju ustreznih določb 109. člena tega zakona traja patent s skrajšanim trajanjem deset let od datuma vložitve prijave.
2. oddelek
Evropska patentna prijava in evropski patent

24. člen

(uporaba prava)

(1) Za patent, ki ga je v skladu z EPK podelil EPU (v nadaljnjem besedilu: evropski patent), in za prijavo, vloženo v skladu z EPK za evropski patent (v nadaljnjem besedilu: evropska patentna prijava), s katerima se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, se uporabljajo določbe tega zakona, razen če je z EPK drugače določeno.
(2) V primeru neskladja med določbami EPK in določbami tega zakona, se glede evropskih patentnih prijav in evropskih patentov uporabljajo določbe EPK.

25. člen

(vložitev evropske patentne prijave)

(1) Evropska patentna prijava, z izjemo izločenih prijav, se sme vložiti pri Uradu v jeziku, ki ga dopuščata prvi in drugi odstavek 14. člena EPK.
(2) Pri evropski patentni prijavi za izum, ki lahko vpliva na nacionalno varnost v
Republiki Sloveniji, se uporablja 17. člen tega zakona.

26. člen

(veljavnost evropske patentne prijave)

(1) Evropska patentna prijava, s katero se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji in kateri je bil dodeljen datum vložitve, je enakovredna nacionalni patentni prijavi, ob upoštevanju morebitne zahtevane prednostne pravice za evropsko patentno prijavo, ne glede na kasnejši izid o njej.
(2) Objavljena evropska patentna prijava, s katero se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, ima varstvo, določeno s četrtim odstavkom 122. člena tega zakona, in sicer od dneva, ko je prijavitelj obvestil osebo, ki uporablja izum v Republiki Sloveniji, o slovenskem prevodu patentnih zahtevkov objavljene evropske patentne prijave.

27. člen

(veljavnost evropskega patenta)

(1) Evropski patent, s katerim se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, zagotavlja glede na drugi do četrti odstavek tega člena od dneva, ko je EPU objavil sklep o njegovi podelitvi, enake pravice kot nacionalni patent pri Uradu po 18. členu tega zakona.
(2) V roku treh mesecev po datumu objave sklepa o podelitvi evropskega patenta je imetnik evropskega patenta dolžan dostaviti Uradu slovenski prevod patentnih zahtevkov za evropski patent in plačati predpisano pristojbino za objavo.
(3) Če velja zaradi ugovora, vloženega pri EPU, evropski patent s spremenjenimi zahtevki, se smiselno uporablja prejšnji odstavek.
(4) Če vsebujejo zahtevki sklicevalne oznake, navedene v skicah, se prevodu, določenem v drugem in tretjem odstavku tega člena priložijo tudi skice, s tem da se prevede tudi vsako besedilo v teh skicah.
(5) Urad objavi vsak prevod, ki je pravilno vložen v skladu z drugim, tretjim ali četrtim odstavkom tega člena.
(6) Če imetnik evropskega patenta ravna po drugem odstavku tega člena, izda
Urad odločbo o vpisu evropskega patenta v register patentov pri Uradu.
(7) Če prevod, naveden v drugem, tretjem ali četrtem odstavku tega člena, ni pravočasno vložen ali če predpisana pristojbina ni pravočasno plačana, se evropski patent, s katerim se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, šteje za ničnega.

28. člen

(verodostojno besedilo evropskih patentnih prijav ali evropskih patentov)

(1) Če prevod iz 26. in 27. člena tega zakona zagotavlja ožje varstvo kot v jeziku postopkov, se prevod šteje za verodostojno besedilo, razen v primeru postopka ugovora pri EPU.
(2) Prijavitelj ali imetnik evropskega patenta lahko vsak čas vloži popravljeni prevod patentnih zahtevkov. Popravljeni prevod ima pravni učinek od dneva, ko ga je Urad objavil oziroma od dneva, ko je prijavitelj ali imetnik evropskega patenta o njem obvestil osebo, ki uporablja ta izum v Republiki Sloveniji.
(3) Vsaka oseba, ki izum v dobri veri uporablja ali je izvedla učinkovite in resne priprave za uporabo izuma, pri čemer takšna uporaba ne bi bila kršitev prijave oziroma patenta v izvirnem prevodu, sme tudi potem, ko začne veljati popravljeni prevod, brez plačila nadaljevati s takšno uporabo v svojem poslovanju in za potrebe tega poslovanja.

29. člen

(pristojbine za evropski patent)

(1) Pristojbine za vzdrževanje evropskega patenta v Republiki Sloveniji, se za leta, ki sledijo letu, v katerem je bil objavljen sklep o podelitvi evropskega patenta, plačujejo Uradu ob upoštevanju 109. in 110. člena tega zakona. Če pri EPU ni bila plačana pristojbina za vzdrževanje evropskega patenta za tretje leto njegovega trajanja, se ta pristojbina plača Uradu.
(2) Ne glede na prejšnji odstavek zapade prva pristojbina za vzdrževanje evropskega patenta v plačilo dva meseca po objavi sklepa o podelitvi evropskega patenta.
(3) V skladu z 39. členom EPK pripada Evropski patentni organizaciji del pristojbin, vplačanih po tem členu.

30. člen

(sprememba v nacionalno patentno prijavo)

(1) Evropska patentna prijava, s katero se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, se lahko spremeni v nacionalno patentno prijavo, če se šteje evropska patentna prijava za umaknjeno na podlagi petega odstavka 77. člena EPK ali ker prevod prijave po drugem odstavku 14. člena EPK ni bil vložen pravočasno, kot to določa tretji odstavek 90. člena EPK.
(2) Prijavitelj mora v predpisanem roku plačati predpisano pristojbino in vložiti prevod prijave pri Uradu v slovenskem jeziku.

31. člen

(hkratno varstvo)

Če imata evropski patent in nacionalni patent, ki sta podeljena isti osebi, isti datum vložitve ali isti datum zahtevane prednostne pravice, nacionalni patent ne bo imel pravnega učinka od datuma, ko je potekel rok za ugovor na evropski patent in ugovor ni bil vložen, ali od datuma končne odločbe o veljavnosti evropskega patenta v postopku ugovora, če se nacionalni patent nanaša na isti izum kot evropski patent.
3. oddelek
Patentna prijava po PCT

32. člen

(prijave na podlagi PCT)

(1) Urad opravlja v skladu s PCT funkcijo prejemnega urada.
(2) Urad sprejema mednarodne prijave, katerih vložniki so državljani Republike
Slovenije ali osebe, ki imajo stalno bivališče oziroma sedež na ozemlju Republike Slovenije.
(3) Mednarodna prijava po PCT se vloži v angleškem, francoskem ali nemškem jeziku. Mednarodna prijava po PCT se lahko vloži tudi v slovenskem jeziku, če je v roku, predpisanim s pravili ali navodili, izdanimi za izvajanje PCT, Uradu predložen prevod te prijave v angleški, francoski ali nemški jezik.
(4) Urad pobira v imenu in za račun Mednarodnega urada Svetovne organizacije za intelektualno lastnino pristojbine v zvezi s prijavami po tem členu.
(5) EPU je pristojna ustanova za mednarodno poizvedbo in mednarodni predhodni preizkus mednarodnih prijav po PCT, vloženih pri Uradu.
(6) Imenovanje ali izbira Republike Slovenije v mednarodni prijavi po točki (viii) 2. člena PCT se šteje kot zahteva za podelitev evropskega patenta, ki velja v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi mednarodne pogodbe, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.
Tretje poglavje
MODEL
1. oddelek
Model

33. člen

(predmet varstva modela)

(1) Model se registrira za videz izdelka, ki je nov in ima individualno naravo.
(2) Videz izdelka pomeni izgled celotnega izdelka ali njegovega dela, ki izhaja iz značilnosti zlasti linij, obrisov, barv, oblike, teksture oziroma materialov izdelka samega ali ornamentov na njem.
(3) Izdelek pomeni industrijski ali obrtni izdelek, ki med drugim vključuje dele, ki so namenjeni za sestavo kompleksnega izdelka, embalažo, opremo, grafične simbole in tipografske znake, z izjemo računalniških programov. Kompleksen izdelek pomeni izdelek, sestavljen iz več sestavnih delov, ki jih je mogoče zamenjati, tako da se izdelek lahko razstavi in ponovno sestavi.
(4) Če se videz izdelka nanaša na sestavni del kompleksnega izdelka, je nov in ima individualno naravo le:
a) če sestavni del, potem ko je vključen v kompleksen izdelek, ostane viden ob normalni
uporabi kompleksnega izdelka, in
b) če vidne značilnosti sestavnega dela tudi same izpolnjujejo pogoja glede novosti in individualne narave.
(5) Normalna uporaba po točki a) prejšnjega odstavka pomeni uporabo pri končnem uporabniku, brez opravil vzdrževanja, servisiranja ali popravljanja.

34. člen

(novost in individualna narava)

(1) Videz izdelka je nov, če pred datumom vložitve prijave modela ali datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana, javnosti ni bil dostopen enak videz izdelka. Videz izdelka se šteje za enakega, če se njegove značilnosti razlikujejo le v nepomembnih podrobnostih.
(2) Videz izdelka ima individualno naravo, če se celotni vtis, ki ga naredi na seznanjenega uporabnika, razlikuje od celotnega vtisa, ki ga naredi kak drug videz izdelka, ki je bil dostopen javnosti pred datumom vložitve prijave ali datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana.
(3) Pri ocenjevanju individualne narave se upošteva stopnja svobode oblikovalca pri razvoju videza izdelka.

35. člen

(razkritje videza izdelka)

(1) Pri uporabi 34. člena tega zakona se šteje, da je bil videz izdelka dostopen javnosti, če je bil objavljen v postopku registracije oziroma kako drugače ali razstavljen,
uporabljen pri trgovanju ali drugače razkrit pred datumom vložitve prijave ali datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana, razen če ti dogodki ne bi mogli postati znani v normalnem poteku poslovanja specializiranim krogom zadevnega področja, ki delujejo v Evropski skupnosti (v nadaljnjem besedilu: Skupnost). Videz izdelka ne šteje za dostopnega javnosti zgolj zato, ker je bil razkrit tretji osebi pod izrecnimi ali neizrecnimi pogoji zaupnosti.
(2) Pri uporabi 34. člena tega zakona se razkritje ne upošteva, če je bil videz izdelka, za katerega se zahteva varstvo z modelom, dostopen javnosti v Skupnosti:
a) zaradi podatkov, ki jih je dal oblikovalec, njegov pravni naslednik ali tretja oseba, ali zaradi dejanja oblikovalca ali njegovega pravnega naslednika; in
b) v obdobju dvanajstih mesecev pred vložitvijo prijave, ali datumom prednostne pravice,
če je ta zahtevana.
(3) Prejšnji odstavek se uporablja tudi, če je bil videz izdelka dostopen javnosti kot posledica zlorabe v odnosu do oblikovalca ali njegovega pravnega naslednika.

36. člen

(zavrnitev modela)

(1) Videz izdelka se ne sme registrirati kot model:
a) če ne ustreza drugemu odstavku 33. člena tega zakona;
b) če ne izpolnjuje pogojev iz prvega ali četrtega odstavka 33. člena ali 34. ali 35. člena tega zakona ali če nasprotuje modelu, ki velja v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi prijave z
zgodnejšim datumom vložitve;
c) če mora biti zavrnjen na podlagi 6.ter člena Pariške konvencije za varstvo industrijske lastnine z dne 20. marca 1883, zadnjič revidirane 14. julija 1967 (Uradni list SFRJ-MP, št. 5/74, 7/86, Uradni list RS-MP, št. 9/92, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Pariška konvencija), ker ni bilo izdano dovoljenje pristojnih organov;
d) če vsebuje ali posnema znamenja, embleme ali grbe, ki niso obseženi s 6.ter členom
Pariške konvencije, vendar imajo poseben javni pomen, razen če so pristojni organi zanje izdali dovoljenje za registracijo;
e) če nasprotuje javnemu redu ali morali.
(2) Model se ne more registrirati za značilnosti izgleda izdelka, ki so določene izključno z njegovo tehnično funkcijo.
(3) Model se ne more registrirati za značilnosti izgleda izdelka, ki morajo biti reproducirane v natančni obliki in dimenzijah, zato da bi bilo mogoče izdelek, na katerega se videz nanaša, mehansko povezati z drugim izdelkom ali ga vanj, okrog njega ali ob njega namestiti, tako da lahko vsak izdelek opravlja svojo funkcijo.
(4) Ne glede na prejšnji odstavek je lahko pod pogoji iz 34. člena tega zakona kot model registriran videz izdelka, ki omogoča večkratno sestavo ali povezavo medsebojno zamenljivih izdelkov znotraj modularnega sistema.

37. člen

(pravice iz modela)

(1) Imetnik modela ima izključno pravico, da ga uporablja in prepreči tretjim osebam, ki nimajo njegovega soglasja, da ga uporabljajo. Omenjena uporaba obsega zlasti izdelovanje, ponujanje, dajanje na trg, uvažanje, izvažanje ali uporabljanje izdelka, na katerega se videz nanaša, ali skladiščenje takega izdelka v te namene.
(2) Obseg varstva vključuje vsak videz izdelka, ki pri seznanjenem uporabniku ne ustvari drugačnega celotnega vtisa. Pri ocenjevanju obsega varstva se upošteva stopnja svobode oblikovalca pri razvoju njegovega videza izdelka.
(3) Pravice iz prvega odstavka tega člena se ne nanašajo:
a) na uvoz rezervnih delov in pripomočkov za popravila ladje ali letala, ki začasno vstopi na ozemlje Republike Slovenije in na izvajanje popravil na takšni ladji ali letalu ter smiselno
na dejanja, našteta v 19. členu tega zakona, razen točke c);
b) na dejanja reproduciranja za namene citiranja ali učenja, če so v skladu z dobrimi poslovnimi običaji in ne škodijo neupravičeno normalnemu izkoriščanju modela in če se
navede vir.
(4) Tretja oseba sme uveljavljati pravico poprejšnje uporabe modela. Pri tem se smiselno uporabljajo določbe 20. člena tega zakona.

38. člen

(izčrpanje pravic iz modela)

(1) Pravice iz modela se ne nanašajo na dejanja v zvezi z izdelkom, na katerega se nanaša videz, ki je predmet modela, če je imetnik modela dal izdelek na trg v Republiki Sloveniji ali je bilo to storjeno z njegovim soglasjem.
(2) Izčrpanje pravic iz modela po prejšnjem odstavku se lahko razširi prek ozemlja Republike Slovenije, če je to v skladu z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.

39. člen

(druge oblike varstva modela)

(1) Določbe tega zakona o modelu ne posegajo v določbe drugih zakonov, ki se nanašajo na neregistrirane modele, znamke ali druge znake razlikovanja, patente, uporabne modele, oznake, civilno odgovornost ali nelojalno konkurenco.
(2) Model je lahko predmet avtorskopravnega varstva od dneva, ko je bil videz izdelka ustvarjen ali določen v katerikoli obliki, če izpolnjuje pogoje za pridobitev takega varstva po zakonu, ki ureja avtorsko in sorodne pravice.

40. člen

(trajanje modela)

(1) Model traja eno ali več petletnih obdobij od datuma vložitve prijave.
(2) Ob upoštevanju ustreznih določb 109. člena tega zakona lahko imetnik modela obnovi model za eno ali več petletnih obdobij, vendar največ petindvajset let od datuma vložitve prijave.
(3) Če se model nanaša na več izdelkov, se lahko obnovi v skladu s prejšnjim odstavkom za celotni model ali v zoženem obsegu le za nekatere izdelke.
2. oddelek
Mednarodni depozit modela

41. člen

(zahteve po Haaškem sporazumu)

(1) Zahteve po Haaškem sporazumu o mednarodnem depozitu industrijskih vzorcev in modelov z dne 28. novembra 1960, dopolnjenem 14. julija 1967 ter spremenjenem in dopolnjenem 28. septembra 1979 (Uradni list RS-MP, št. 20/94, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Haaški sporazum) se vložijo v skladu s Haaškim sporazumom ter pravili in navodili, izdanimi za njegovo izvajanje, neposredno pri Mednarodnem uradu.
(2) Pri zahtevah po Haaškem sporazumu, s katerimi se zahteva varstvo modela v Sloveniji, se v skladu z 8. členom Haaškega sporazuma smiselno uporabljajo določbe tega zakona, razen drugega odstavka 96. člena tega zakona.
Četrto poglavje
ZNAMKA
1. oddelek
Znamka in kolektivna znamka

42. člen

(predmet varstva znamke)

(1) Kot znamka se sme registrirati kakršenkoli znak ali kakršnakoli kombinacija znakov, ki omogočajo razlikovanje blaga ali storitev enega podjetja od blaga ali storitev drugega podjetja in jih je mogoče grafično prikazati, kot so zlasti besede, vključno z osebnimi imeni, črke, številke, figurativni elementi, tridimenzionalne podobe, vključno z obliko blaga ali njihove embalaže, in kombinacije barv kot tudi kakršnakoli kombinacija takih znakov.
(2) Pri presoji, ali se znak lahko registrira kot znamka, se upoštevajo vse dejanske okoliščine, zlasti trajanje uporabe znaka.
(3) Narava blaga ali storitev, na katere se nanaša znamka, ne sme biti v nobenem primeru ovira za registracijo.

43. člen

(absolutni razlogi za zavrnitev znamke)

(1) Kot znamka se ne sme registrirati znak:
a) ki ne more biti znamka;
b) ki je brez slehernega razlikovalnega učinka;
c) ki lahko v gospodarskem prometu označuje izključno vrsto, kakovost, količino, namen, vrednost, geografski izvor ali čas proizvodnje blaga ali opravljanja storitev ali druge značilnosti blaga ali storitev;
d) ki vsebuje ali sestoji iz geografske označbe, ki označuje vina ali žgane pijače, če se prijava znamke nanaša na vina ali žgane pijače, ki nimajo takega izvora;
e) ki sestoji izključno iz znakov ali označb, ki so postali običajni v jezikovni rabi ali v dobroverni in ustaljeni praksi trgovanja;
f) ki sestoji izključno iz oblike, ki izhaja iz same narave blaga ali je nujna za dosego tehničnega učinka ali daje blagu bistveno vrednost;
g) ki nasprotuje javnemu redu ali morali;
h) ki zavaja javnost, zlasti glede narave, kakovosti ali geografskega izvora blaga ali storitev;
i) ki vsebuje uradne znake ali punce za kontrolo ali jamstvo kakovosti blaga ali jih posnema;
j) za katerega ni bilo izdano dovoljenje pristojnih organov in mora biti zavrnjen na podlagi
6.ter člena Pariške konvencije;
k) ki vsebuje ali posnema znamenja, embleme ali grbe, ki niso obseženi s 6.ter členom
Pariške konvencije, vendar imajo poseben javni pomen, razen če so pristojni organi zanje izdali dovoljenje za registracijo;
l) ki vsebuje označbo porekla blaga ali geografsko označbo, registrirano v skladu z Uredbo
(EGS) št. 2081/92 z dne 14. julija 1992 o varstvu geografskih označb in označb izvora za kmetijske proizvode in živila (UL L 208/92, str. 1; v nadaljnjem besedilu: Uredba
2081/92/EGS), ali je iz nje sestavljen, če so podane okoliščine iz 13. člena Uredbe
2081/92/EGS, in se nanaša na isto vrsto blaga, pod pogojem, da je bila prijava znamke vložena po datumu vložitve prijave za registracijo označbe porekla blaga ali geografske označbe pri Komisiji.
(2) Za znamke, ki so pridobile razlikovalni učinek z dolgotrajno uporabo, se ne uporabljajo točke b), c) in e) prejšnjega odstavka.
(3) Znaka, ki ne sme biti registriran zaradi nasprotovanja določbam j) in k) prvega odstavka tega člena, ker vsebuje ime, kratico, državni grb, emblem, zastavo ali kakšen drug uradni znak Republike Slovenije ali njegov del, ni dovoljeno uporabljati v gospodarskem prometu brez soglasja Vlade Republike Slovenije.

44. člen

(relativni razlogi za zavrnitev znamke)

(1) Kot znamka se nadalje ne sme registrirati znak:
a) ki je enak prejšnji znamki druge osebe in če so blago ali storitve, za katere je registracija zahtevana, enaki blagu ali storitvam, za katere je registrirana prejšnja znamka;
b) ki je enak ali podoben prejšnji znamki druge osebe in če so blago ali storitve, na katere se nanašata znak in znamka, enaki ali podobni, zaradi česar obstaja verjetnost zmede v javnosti, pri čemer verjetnost zmede vključuje verjetnost povezovanja s prejšnjo znamko;
c) ki je enak ali podoben prejšnji znamki druge osebe, ki je registrirana za blago ali storitve, ki niso enaki ali podobni blagu ali storitvam, za katere je bila registracija zahtevana, če bi
uporaba takega znaka brez upravičenega razloga izkoristila ali oškodovala razlikovalni značaj ali ugled prejšnje znamke ali če bi uporaba takega znaka nakazovala povezanost med blagom ali storitvami in imetnikom prejšnje znamke in bi to utegnilo škodovati
interesom imetnika prejšnje znamke;
d) če je enak ali podoben znamki ali neregistriranemu znaku, ki je v Republiki Sloveniji znana znamka v smislu člena 6.bis Pariške konvencije ali tretjega odstavka
16. člena Sporazuma TRIPs;
e) če imetnik znamke, registrirane v kakšni državi članici unije, ustanovljene na podlagi Pariške konvencije (v nadaljnjem besedilu: Pariška unija), ali Svetovne trgovinske organizacije (v nadaljnjem besedilu: WTO), dokaže, da je ta znak brez njegovega pooblastila prijavil njegov posrednik ali zastopnik na svoje ime;
f) če bi njegova uporaba nasprotovala prej pridobljenim pravicam do imena, osebnega portreta, označbe za rastlinsko sorto, geografske označbe ali drugi pravici industrijske
lastnine ali prej pridobljeni avtorski pravici, razen če je imetnik prej pridobljene pravice
izrecno soglašal z registracijo takega znaka.
(2) Prejšnja znamka po prejšnjem odstavku pomeni:
a) znamko, ki je bila prijavljena ali registrirana v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi nacionalne prijave pred datumom vložitve prijave kasnejše znamke ali datumom prednostne pravice,
če je ta zahtevana;
b) znamko, za katero je bilo zahtevano varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi mednarodne prijave pred datumom vložitve prijave kasnejše znamke ali datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana.

45. člen

(predmet varstva kolektivne znamke)

(1) Kot kolektivna znamka se lahko registrira vsak znak, ki ustreza zahtevam po
42. členu tega zakona in je primeren za razlikovanje blaga ali storitev članov nosilca kolektivne znamke od blaga ali storitev drugih podjetij z ozirom na proizvodni ali geografski izvor, vrsto, kvaliteto ali kakšne druge značilnosti.
(2) Prijavitelj oziroma nosilec kolektivne znamke je lahko vsako društvo ali združenje pravnih ali fizičnih oseb, vključno z zvezo društev ali združenj, ki ima lastnost pravne osebe (v nadaljnjem besedilu: društvo), ali pravna oseba javnega prava.
(3) Člani nosilca lahko v skladu s pravilnikom iz 46. člena tega zakona uporabljajo kolektivno znamko.
(4) Za pridobitev kolektivne znamke se uporabljajo določbe tega zakona, razen če ta zakon določa drugače.

46. člen

(pravilnik o kolektivni znamki)

(1) Vložnik prijave za registracijo kolektivne znamke mora skupaj s prijavo predložiti pravilnik o kolektivni znamki.
(2) Pravilnik iz prejšnjega odstavka mora vsebovati vsaj naslednje podatke:
a) naziv in sedež prijavitelja;
b) dejavnost prijavitelja in podatke o tem, koga uradno oziroma statutarno predstavlja ali zastopa;
c) pogoje za pridobitev članstva;
d) podatke o krogu upravičencev do uporabe kolektivne znamke;
e) določbe o pravicah in obveznostih članov v primeru kršitve kolektivne znamke.
(3) Prijavitelj oziroma nosilec kolektivne znamke je dolžan Urad nemudoma obvestiti o vsaki spremembi ali dopolnitvi pravilnika. Urad preveri, ali sprememba oziroma dopolnitev pravilnika ustreza določbam drugega odstavka tega člena.
(4) Pravilnik je javen in je vpogled vanj dovoljen vsakomur.

47. člen

(pravice iz znamke)

(1) Znamka daje imetniku izključno pravico do njene uporabe in druge izključne pravice po tem zakonu. Imetnik znamke je upravičen preprečiti tretjim osebam, ki nimajo njegovega soglasja, da v gospodarskem prometu uporabljajo:
a) katerikoli znak, ki je enak znamki, za enako blago ali storitve, ki so obseženi z znamko;
b) katerikoli znak, pri katerem zaradi njegove enakosti ali podobnosti z znamko in enakosti ali podobnosti blaga ali storitev, obseženih z znamko in znakom, obstaja verjetnost zmede v javnosti, ki vključuje verjetnost povezovanja med znakom in znamko;
c) katerikoli znak, ki je enak ali podoben znamki za blago ali storitve, ki niso podobne tistim, ki so obseženi z znamko, če ima znamka v Republiki Sloveniji ugled, in če bi uporaba takega znaka brez upravičenega razloga izkoristila ali oškodovala značaj ali ugled znamke.
(2) Pravica iz prejšnjega odstavka obsega med drugim prepoved:
a) opremljanja blaga ali njihove embalaže z znakom;
b) ponujanja blaga, označenega s tem znakom, njegovega dajanja na trg ali skladiščenja v te namene oziroma ponujanja ali oskrbovanja s storitvami pod tem znakom;
c) uvoza ali izvoza blaga pod tem znakom;
d) uporabe znaka na poslovni dokumentaciji in v oglaševanju.

48. člen

(omejitev pravic iz znamke)

(1) Imetnik znamke ne more prepovedati tretjemu v gospodarskem prometu, da v skladu z dobrimi poslovnimi običaji uporablja:
a) svoje ime ali naslov;
b) označbe glede vrste, kakovosti, količine, namena, vrednosti, geografskega izvora, časa proizvodnje blaga ali opravljanja storitve ali drugih značilnosti blaga ali storitev;
c) znamko, če je potrebno z njo označiti namen proizvoda ali storitve, zlasti za dodatke ali
nadomestne dele;
d) znak, ki je enak ali podoben znamki, če ga je tretji začel uporabljati v dobri veri pred datumom vložitve prijave oziroma pred datumom prednostne pravice, če je ta v prijavi
zahtevana.
(2) Če imetnik prejšnje znamke iz drugega odstavka 44. člena tega zakona v obdobju petih zaporednih let ni nasprotoval uporabi kasnejše znamke, čeprav je vedel za njeno uporabo, ne more na podlagi svoje prejšnje znamke vložiti tožbe po 114. ali 119. členu tega zakona ali prepovedati uporabe kasnejše znamke za blago ali storitve, za katere se kasnejša znamka uporablja, razen če kasnejša znamka ni bila prijavljena v dobri veri.

49. člen

(omejitev pravic iz kolektivne znamke)

Nosilec kolektivne znamke, ki označuje tudi geografski izvor blaga, mora omogočiti vsaki osebi, katere blago ali storitve izvirajo iz navedenega geografskega območja in ki ustrezajo v pravilniku navedenim pogojem za uporabo kolektivne znamke, da postane član društva, ki je nosilec te znamke.

50. člen

(izčrpanje pravic iz znamke)

(1) Znamka ne daje imetniku pravice, da prepove njeno uporabo v zvezi z blagom, ki ga je imetnik dal na trg v Republiki Sloveniji ali se je to zgodilo z njegovim soglasjem.
(2) Prejšnji odstavek se ne uporablja, če obstajajo utemeljeni razlogi za imetnikovo nasprotovanje nadaljnji komercializaciji blaga, zlasti če se je stanje tega blaga spremenilo ali poslabšalo, potem ko je bilo dano na trg.
(3) Izčrpanje pravic iz znamke po prvem odstavku tega člena se lahko razširi prek ozemlja Republike Slovenije, če je to v skladu z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.

51. člen

(reprodukcije znamk v slovarjih)

Če daje reprodukcija znamke v slovarju, enciklopediji ali podobnem delu vtis, da gre za generično ime blaga ali storitev, za katere je znak registriran, mora založnik dela na zahtevo imetnika znamke poskrbeti za to, da je najkasneje v naslednji izdaji publikacije pri reprodukciji znamke oznaka, da gre za znamko.

52. člen

(trajanje znamke)

(1) Znamka traja deset let od datuma vložitve prijave.
(2) Ob upoštevanju ustreznih določb 109. člena tega zakona lahko imetnik znamke poljubno mnogokrat obnovi znamko za obdobje naslednjih deset let, šteto od datuma vložitve prijave.
(3) Znamka se lahko obnovi v skladu s prejšnjim odstavkom za vse blago ali storitve ali v zoženem obsegu le za nekatero blago ali storitve.
2. oddelek
Mednarodna registracija znamke

53. člen

(vložitev zahteve pri Uradu)

(1) Urad sprejema zahteve v skladu z Madridskim aranžmajem o mednarodnem registriranju znamk z dne 14. aprila 1891, zadnjič revidiranim 14. julija 1967 (Uradni list SFRJ-MP, št. 2/74, Uradni list RS-MP, št. 9/92, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Madridski aranžma) in Protokolom k Madridskemu sporazumu o mednarodnem registriranju znamk z dne 27. junija
1997 (Uradni list RS-MP, št. 21/97, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Madridski Protokol).
(2) Ob vložitvi zahteve ali v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada se plača ustrezna pristojbina. Če pristojbina ni plačana v tem roku, se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.
(3) K zahtevi za mednarodno registriranje znamke mora vložnik priložiti seznam blaga ali storitev v jeziku, ki je predpisan z Madridskim aranžmajem oziroma Madridskim Protokolom in predpisi in navodili za njuno izvajanje.
(4) Če zahteva ni sestavljena v skladu z Madridskim aranžmajem oziroma Madridskim Protokolom, predpisi in navodili za njuno izvajanje, tem zakonom in podzakonskimi predpisi, Urad pozove vložnika, naj jo v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva ustrezno dopolni ali popravi. Če vložnik v tem roku ne popravi ali dopolni ustrezno svoje zahteve, se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.
(5) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi vsebino zahtev iz prvega odstavka tega člena in postopke v zvezi s temi zahtevami.

54. člen

(preizkus mednarodne znamke)

(1) Pri zahtevah po Madridskem aranžmaju ali Madridskem Protokolu, s katerimi se zahteva varstvo znamke v Republiki Sloveniji, se v skladu s 5. členom Madridskega aranžmaja oziroma 5. členom Madridskega Protokola smiselno uporabljajo določbe tega zakona, razen 103. člena tega zakona.
(2) Objava podatkov o mednarodno registrirani znamki v glasilu Mednarodnega urada se šteje kot objava prijave znamke v Republiki Sloveniji.
(3) Če se imetnik znamke, ki zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi Madridskega aranžmaja ali Madridskega Protokola, ne izreče o nameravani zavrnitvi varstva znamke, o kateri je obveščen v skladu s 5. členom Madridskega aranžmaja oziroma 5. členom Madridskega Protokola, Urad v takem primeru ne glede na peti odstavek 129. člena tega zakona izjemoma vroči odločbo neposredno po pošti imetniku znamke.
Peto poglavje
GEOGRAFSKA OZNAČBA

55. člen

(predmet varstva registrirane geografske označbe)

(1) Geografska označba, ki se sme registrirati, pomeni oznako, ki označuje, da blago izvira z določenega ozemlja, območja ali kraja na tem ozemlju, če je kakovost, sloves ali kakšna druga značilnost tega blaga bistveno odvisna od njegovega geografskega porekla.
(2) Kot geografska označba se lahko registrira tudi ime, ki je postalo po dolgotrajni uporabi v gospodarskem prometu splošno znano kot označba, da blago izvira iz določenega kraja ali območja.
(3) Geografska označba, ki se nanaša na blago s posebnim zgodovinskim ali kulturnim pomenom, se lahko zavaruje neposredno z uredbo Vlade Republike Slovenije.
(4) Kot geografska označba po tem zakonu se ne sme registrirati geografska oznaka za kmetijske pridelke oziroma živila ter za vina in druge proizvode iz grozdja in vina.

56. člen

(razlogi za zavrnitev registracije geografske označbe)

Geografska označba se ne sme registrirati:
a) če označuje ali nakazuje, da določeno blago izvira z geografskega območja, ki ni resnični kraj izvora, na način, ki zavaja javnost glede geografskega porekla izvora;
b) če je sicer dobesedno resnična kar zadeva ozemlje, območje ali kraj, iz katerega izvira blago, vendar pa v javnosti ustvarja napačen vtis, da blago izvira z drugega
geografskega območja;
c) če je postala po dolgotrajni uporabi v gospodarskem prometu splošno znana kot oznaka za določeno vrsto blaga;
d) če bi njena registracija zaradi ugleda, poznanosti in trajanja uporabe znamke lahko zavajala potrošnika glede resnične identitete izdelka.

57. člen

(varstvo registrirane geografske označbe pred splošno uporabo)

Registrirane geografske označbe se ne morejo spremeniti v generična ali splošno znana imena, katerih uporaba v gospodarskem prometu bi bila prosta.

58. člen

(pravice iz registrirane geografske označbe)

(1) Registrirana geografska označba je kolektivna pravica in jo smejo uporabljati v gospodarskem prometu osebe, ki v skladu s specifikacijo iz drugega odstavka 104. člena tega zakona proizvajajo in dajejo v promet blago, zavarovano z geografsko označbo.
(2) Neupravičene osebe ne smejo uporabljati registrirane geografske označbe.
(3) Uporaba registrirane geografske označbe je prepovedana, če blago ne izvira iz kraja, ki ga označuje določena geografska označba, tudi če je označen pravi izvor blaga, če je geografska označba uporabljena v prevodu ali če geografsko označbo spremljajo izrazi, kot so “vrsta“, “tip“, “stil“, “imitacija“ in podobno.

59. člen

(omejitev pravic iz registrirane geografske označbe)

(1) Če je bila znamka, ki je enaka ali podobna registrirani geografski označbi, prijavljena ali registrirana v dobri veri ali če je bila znamka pridobljena z uporabo v dobri veri, še preden je bila geografska označba registrirana, te znamke ni mogoče razveljaviti ali prepovedati njene uporabe.
(2) Registrirana geografska označba ne izključuje pravice drugega, da v gospodarskem prometu uporablja svoje ime ali ime svojega predhodnika v poslu razen, če je tako ime uporabljeno tako, da zavaja javnost.

60. člen

(trajanje registrirane geografske označbe)

Trajanje registrirane geografske označbe ni omejeno.
Šesto poglavje
SPLOŠNA NAČELA ZA POSTOPKE PRED URADOM

61. člen

(unijska prednostna pravica)

(1) Kdor pravilno vloži prvo prijavo patenta, modela ali znamke v državi članici Pariške unije ali WTO, ima ob vložitvi prijave v Republiki Sloveniji prednostno pravico. Rok za uveljavljanje prednostne pravice je za patent dvanajst mesecev ter za modele in znamke šest mesecev od dneva vložitve prve prijave.
(2) Oseba, ki zahteva prednostno pravico iz prejšnjega odstavka, mora ob vložitvi prijave v Republiki Sloveniji navesti datum zahtevane prednostne pravice. V treh mesecih po vložitvi prijave morata biti Uradu sporočena številka prve prijave in država oziroma urad vložitve prve prijave. Če prijavitelj ne ravna po določbah tega odstavka, se šteje, da prednostna pravica ni bila zahtevana.
(3) Na zahtevo Urada, ali v primeru spora, na zahtevo sodišča, mora tisti, ki zahteva prednostno pravico, predložiti prepis prve prijave, ki ga overi pristojni organ države članice Pariške unije ali WTO, v kateri je bila prva prijava vložena. Prepisa prve prijave ni mogoče zahtevati pred potekom šestnajstih mesecev od datuma vložitve prve prijave.
(4) Če prepis prve prijave iz prejšnjega odstavka ni v slovenskem jeziku in je veljavnost zahtevane prednostne pravice bistvena za odločitev, ali je zadevni izum mogoče zavarovati s patentom, lahko Urad, ali v primeru spora, sodišče, zahteva, da tisti, ki zahteva prednostno pravico, v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva predloži prevod prve prijave v slovenskem jeziku.
(5) Prijavitelj se lahko sklicuje na večkratno prednostno pravico, ki temelji na različnih prejšnjih prijavah, vloženih v eni ali več državah.
(6) Prijavitelj lahko v patentni prijavi zahteva prednostno pravico na podlagi prijave za varstvo uporabnega modela.
(7) Urad izda na zahtevo in ob plačilu takse po zakonu, ki ureja upravne takse, potrdilo o prednostni pravici. Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi vsebino potrdila o prednostni pravici in postopek izdaje potrdila.

62. člen

(razstavna prednostna pravica)

(1) Oseba, ki na uradni ali uradno priznani mednarodni razstavi po Konvenciji o mednarodnih razstavah, podpisani 22. novembra 1928 in zadnjič revidirani 30. novembra
1972, v Republiki Sloveniji ali v drugi državi članici Pariške unije ali WTO razstavi izum, videz izdelka ali njegovega dela ali uporabi znak za označevanje blaga ali storitev, lahko v treh
mesecih od dneva zaprtja razstave v svoji prijavi zahteva prednostno pravico od prvega dne razstavitve izuma ali videza izdelka ali njegovega dela oziroma uporabe znaka.
(2) Oseba, ki zahteva prednostno pravico iz prejšnjega odstavka mora ob vložitvi prijave v Republiki Sloveniji navesti podatke o vrsti razstave, kraju, kjer je bila, datumih njenega odprtja in zaprtja ter o prvem dnevu razstavitve oziroma uporabe ter predložiti pisno potrdilo pristojnega organa države članice Pariške unije ali WTO, da gre za uradno ali uradno priznano mednarodno razstavo. Če prijavitelj ne ravna po določbah tega odstavka, se šteje, da prednostna pravica ni bila zahtevana.
(3) Z zahtevanjem prednostne pravice po prvem odstavku tega člena se rok za uveljavljanje unijske prednostne pravice iz prvega odstavka 61. člena tega zakona ne more podaljšati.

63. člen

(popravek ali dopolnitev zahteve za priznanje prednostne pravice)

(1) Prijavitelj lahko zahteva popravek ali dopolnitev zahteve za priznanje prednostne pravice v patentni prijavi v šestnajstih mesecih od datuma zahtevane prednostne pravice ali od spremenjenega datuma zahtevane prednostne pravice, če bi popravek ali dopolnitev povzročila spremembo v datumu zahtevane prednostne pravice, vendar le, če je zahteva vložena v štirih mesecih od datuma vložitve patentne prijave.
(2) Prijavitelj mora hkrati z zahtevo plačati pristojbino, sicer se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.
(3) Če je prijavitelj zahteval objavo po drugem odstavku 89. člena tega zakona in nato vložil tudi zahtevo iz prvega odstavka tega člena, se šteje, da zahteva iz prvega odstavka tega člena ni bila vložena razen, če je prijavitelj umaknil zahtevo po drugem odstavku 89. člena tega zakona, še pred zaključkom tehničnih priprav za objavo prijave.
(4) Če je zaradi popravka ali dopolnitve zahteve za priznanje prednostne pravice spremenjen datum zahtevane prednostne pravice, se štejejo roki od spremenjenega datuma zahtevane prednostne pravice.

64. člen

(vzpostavitev prednostne pravice)

(1) Če je datum vložitve patentne prijave, pri kateri bi bila lahko zahtevana prednostna pravica iz prve prijave, kasnejši od zadnjega datuma za uveljavljanje prednostne pravice, vendar ne več kot za dva meseca, lahko prijavitelj zahteva vzpostavitev prednostne pravice, če kljub skrbnemu ravnanju, ki so ga zahtevale okoliščine, ni mogel vložiti prijave v roku iz prvega odstavka 61. člena tega zakona.
(2) Prijavitelj mora vložiti zahtevo za vzpostavitev prednostne pravice v dveh mesecih od zadnjega datuma za uveljavljanje prednostne pravice in pred zaključkom tehničnih priprav za objavo prijave. Hkrati z zahtevo mora plačati tudi pristojbino, sicer se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.

65. člen

(prepoved širitve obsega prijave)

(1) Vsebina predmeta patentne prijave po datumu vložitve prijave ne sme biti razširjena prek vsebine predmeta prvotno sprejete prijave.
(2) V prijavi modela se po datumu vložitve prijave ne sme bistveno spremeniti videz izdelka ali njegovega dela ali povečati število izdelkov.
(3) V prijavi znamke se po datumu vložitve prijave ne sme bistveno spremeniti znak ali razširiti prvotni seznam blaga ali storitev.

66. člen

(podaljšanje rokov)

(1) Prijavitelj ali imetnik lahko pred iztekom roka po tem zakonu zahteva njegovo podaljšanje za največ tri mesece.
(2) Roki za vložitev tožbe in roki iz prejšnjega odstavka, prvega odstavka 13., drugega odstavka 27. člena, drugega odstavka 35., prvega odstavka 61., prvega odstavka
62., prvega odstavka 63., drugega odstavka 64., drugega odstavka 67., drugega odstavka
68., tretjega odstavka 80., tretjega odstavka 86., prvega odstavka 91., tretjega odstavka 92., drugega in tretjega odstavka 94., prvega in petega odstavka 101., 109., 110., prvega odstavka 117., drugega odstavka 130. ter drugega odstavka 137. člena, niso podaljšljivi.

67. člen

(nadaljevanje postopka po zamudi)

(1) Prijavitelj, ki je zamudil rok za izpolnitev obveznosti, zahtevanih v postopku za pridobitev pravice, lahko zahteva, da se zamujeni rok šteje kot pravočasen in da se odpravijo pravne posledice zamude ter da Urad nadaljuje s postopkom pridobitve pravice.
(2) Zahteva za nadaljevanje postopka se vloži v dveh mesecih, šteto od dneva, ko je prenehal vzrok, ki je povzročil zamudo, če je prijavitelj šele pozneje izvedel za zamudo, pa od dneva, ko je za to izvedel, vendar ne kasneje kot v šestih mesecih od dneva nastanka zamude. Prijavitelj mora hkrati z zahtevo opraviti zamujeno dejanje in plačati pristojbino za nadaljevanje postopka. Če v tem roku zamujeno dejanje ni opravljeno ali če pristojbina za nadaljevanje postopka ni plačana, se šteje, da zahteva ni bila vložena.
(3) Nadaljevanja postopka ni mogoče zahtevati zaradi zamude roka iz prejšnjega odstavka in roka za vložitev ugovora ali tožbe, ali če je vložena zahteva za vrnitev v prejšnje stanje, ali zahteva za popravek ali dopolnitev zahteve za priznanje prednostne pravice, ali zahteva za vzpostavitev prednostne pravice.
(4) Če je Urad ugodil zahtevi za nadaljevanje postopka, se smiselno uporablja šesti oziroma sedmi odstavek 68. člena tega zakona.

68. člen

(vrnitev v prejšnje stanje)

(1) Stranka sme v postopku pred Uradom iz upravičenih razlogov zahtevati vrnitev v prejšnje stanje, če kljub skrbnemu ravnanju, ki so ga zahtevale okoliščine, ni mogla pravočasno izvršiti obveznosti, ki jih je Urad zahteval v skladu s tem zakonom in na njegovi podlagi izdanimi podzakonskimi predpisi, in se je zaradi tega njena prijava ali kakšna druga vloga štela za umaknjeno ali je bila zavržena ali zavrnjena oziroma je pravica prenehala veljati.
(2) Zahteva za vrnitev v prejšnje stanje se vloži v treh mesecih, šteto od dneva, ko je prenehal vzrok, ki je povzročil zamudo, če je stranka šele pozneje zvedela za zamudo, pa od dneva, ko je za to zvedela. Hkrati z zahtevo je treba opraviti zamujeno dejanje in plačati pristojbino. Če ob vložitvi zahteve zamujeno dejanje ni opravljeno ali če pristojbina ni plačana, se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.
(3) Urad ne more zavrniti zahteve za vrnitev v prejšnje stanje v delu ali v celoti, če ni stranke pred tem pisno seznanil z razlogi za zavrnitev zahteve v delu ali v celoti in če je ni pozval, naj se v roku treh mesecev od vročitve poziva izreče o razlogih za zavrnitev zahteve.
stanje.
(4) Po enem letu od dneva zamude se ne more več zahtevati vrnitve v prejšnje
(5) Vrnitve v prejšnje stanje ni mogoče zahtevati zaradi zamude rokov za vložitev zahteve za vrnitev v prejšnje stanje, zahteve za nadaljevanje postopka, ugovora ali tožbe, zahteve za uveljavljanje prednostne pravice in za predložitev prepisa prve prijave, zahteve za popravek ali dopolnitev zahteve za priznanje prednostne pravice ali zahteve za vzpostavitev prednostne pravice.
(6) Vsak, ki je v dobri veri uporabljal ali imel učinkovite in resne priprave za uporabo izuma ali modela, ki je predmet objavljene prijave, sme v obdobju med izgubo pravice po prvem odstavku tega člena in objavo vrnitve v prejšnje stanje pri tej pravici, brez nadomestila nadaljevati s takšno uporabo v svojem poslu ali za njegove potrebe.
(7) Če je prijavitelj ali imetnik znamke z vrnitvijo v prejšnje stanje ponovno vzpostavil svojo pravico do znamke, ne more uveljavljati svoje pravice proti komurkoli, ki je v obdobju med izgubo pravice po prvem odstavku tega člena in objavo vrnitve v prejšnje stanje te pravice v dobri veri dal blago na trg ali opravljal storitve pod znakom, ki je enak ali podoben njegovi znamki.

69. člen

(umik vloge)

(1) Stranka lahko v postopku pred Uradom kadarkoli med postopkom umakne svojo vlogo.
(2) Vloga je umaknjena z dnem, ko prejme Urad zahtevo za umik vloge.
(3) Na podlagi zahteve za umik vloge izda Urad sklep o ustavitvi postopka.
(4) Če je prijavitelj umaknil zahtevo za podelitev patenta po zaključku tehničnih priprav za objavo te prijave in je bila prijava objavljena, se objava prijave ne šteje v stanje tehnike po 12. členu tega zakona.

70. člen

(seznanitev prijavitelja pred zavrnitvijo pravice)

(1) Urad ne more izdati odločbe o zavrnitvi ali odločbe o delni zavrnitvi zahteve za podelitev oziroma registracijo pravice, če ni prej pisno seznanil prijavitelja z razlogi, zaradi katerih ne more podeliti oziroma registrirati pravice ali je ne more podeliti oziroma registrirati v zahtevanem obsegu, in če ni prijavitelja pozval, naj se v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva izreče o teh razlogih oziroma vloženo zahtevo spremeni ali dopolni.
(2) Če se prijavitelj pravočasno izreče o razlogih za zavrnitev zahteve v delu ali v celoti, ali spremeni oziroma dopolni svojo zahtevo, Urad pred izdajo odločbe preveri, ali so še podani razlogi za zavrnitev ali delno zavrnitev zahteve za podelitev ali registracijo pravice.

71. člen

(upravni spor)

Zoper odločbo ali sklep Urada ni pritožbe, možna pa je tožba v upravnem sporu, ki se vloži pri Upravnem sodišču Republike Slovenije v Ljubljani. V sporu odloča sodišče na sedežu v Ljubljani.

72. člen

(postopek v zvezi s tožbami)

(1) Sodišče nemudoma obvesti Urad o prejemu tožbe po tem zakonu in pravnomočni odločbi. Sodišče pošlje Uradu sodbo s potrdilom o pravnomočnosti zaradi izvršitve.
(2) Urad izda odločbo, s katero se sodba izvrši.
(3) Postopki v zvezi s tožbami po tem zakonu so hitri. Sodišče odloča o tožbah po tem zakonu prednostno.
pravic.
(4) Prvi in drugi odstavek tega člena se ne uporabljata pri sporih zaradi kršitve

73. člen

(izumitelj, oblikovalec)

(1) V postopku za podelitev patenta se izumitelj, naveden v prijavi, šteje za izumitelja, razen če sodišče odloči drugače.
(2) Prvi odstavek tega člena se smiselno uporablja za oblikovalca videza izdelka. (3) Urad ne preverja točnosti podatkov o izumitelju ali oblikovalcu.

74. člen

(imetnik pravice)

(1) Patent se podeli oziroma model ali znamka se registrira na ime tistega, ki je ob podelitvi ali registraciji naveden kot prijavitelj.
(2) Določba prejšnjega odstavka se smiselno uporablja, če je kot prijavitelj navedenih več oseb. Urad ne določa medsebojnih razmerij med osebami, ki so navedeni kot prijavitelj.

75. člen

(prenos in licenca pravic)

(1) Imetnik patenta, modela ali znamke lahko v delu ali v celoti s pogodbo prenaša svojo pravico in sklepa licenčne pogodbe.
(2) Prejšnji odstavek se smiselno uporablja za prijavitelja.
(3) Kolektivne znamke in geografske označbe ni mogoče prenesti in ne moreta biti predmet licenčne pogodbe.

76. člen

(čas pridobitve pravic)

(1) Ob upoštevanju drugega odstavka tega člena se pravice iz 18., 37., 47. in 58. člena tega zakona pridobijo z dnevom vpisa v ustrezen register.
(2) Ob upoštevanju 122. člena tega zakona ni mogoče uveljavljati pravice iz prvega odstavka 18. člena tega zakona v tožbi po 121. členu tega zakona zaradi kršitve patenta pred dnevom izdaje ugotovitvene odločbe po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona ali pred dnevom vpisa evropskega patenta v register pri Uradu.

77. člen

(prenehanje veljavnosti)

Podeljene oziroma registrirane pravice prenehajo veljati tudi pred predpisanimi roki iz 22., 23., 40. in 52. člena tega zakona:
a) če se imetnik odpove pravici – naslednji dan, ko prejme Urad vlogo o odpovedi;
b) če niso v skladu s tem zakonom plačane predpisane pristojbine;
c) na podlagi pravnomočne sodbe sodišča oziroma odločbe Urada v primerih, ki so predvideni s tem zakonom – z dnem, ki je določen s to sodbo oziroma odločbo.

78. člen

(poprava pomot)

(1) Urad sme po uradni dolžnosti ali na zahtevo stranke vsak čas popraviti pomote v imenih, datumih, številkah ter drugih očitnih pomotah v aktih Urada, objavah in registrih.
(2) Poprava pomot v objavah se objavi v uradnem glasilu.
Sedmo poglavje
POSTOPEK PRIDOBITVE PRAVIC
1. oddelek
Vložitev prijav in formalni preizkus

79. člen

(sestavine prijave)

(1) Prijava mora vsebovati navedbo, iz katere je mogoče razbrati, da se zahteva pridobitev določene pravice, in:
a) za patent – vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka 86. člena tega zakona;
b) za model – vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka 94. člena tega zakona;
c) za znamko – vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka 97. člena tega zakona oziroma za kolektivno znamko tudi pravilnik iz 46. člena tega zakona.
(2) Prijava mora vsebovati tudi:
a) pooblastilo zastopniku, če je prijava vložena po zastopniku;
b) besedilo prijave v slovenskem jeziku, če je bila prijava prvotno vložena po drugem odstavku 81. člena tega zakona v tujem jeziku;
c) potrdilo o plačilu celotnega zneska prijavne pristojbine.
(3) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskimi predpisi natančneje določi vsebino prijav in postopek podelitve patenta, registracije modela in registracije znamke.

80. člen

(oblika in način vložitve prijave)

(1) Prijava za pridobitev posamezne pravice mora biti po vsebini in obliki sestavljena v skladu s tem zakonom in predpisi, izdanimi na njegovi podlagi, in mora vsebovati vse podatke. Prijava mora biti čitljiva in predložena tako, da je mogoče njeno vsebino jasno in primerno reproducirati.
(2) Prijava se lahko vloži v pisni obliki osebno ali po pošti, po telefaksu ali drugih elektronskih medijih. Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi način vlaganja prijav po drugih elektronskih medijih.
(3) Če prijava, ki je bila vložena po telefaksu ali drugem elektronskem mediju, ni čitljiva ali je ni mogoče jasno in primerno reproducirati, Urad pozove prijavitelja, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva predloži nov izvod iste prijave v pisni obliki. Če Urad v tem roku ne prejme zahtevanega izvoda prijave, se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.
(4) Ob vložitvi prijave ali v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada se plača prijavna pristojbina. Če pristojbina ni v celoti pravočasno plačana, se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.

81. člen

(jezik prijave)

(1) Prijava mora biti vložena v slovenskem jeziku, razen če je s tem zakonom ali mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo določeno drugače.
(2) Prijava je lahko vložena tudi v kateremkoli tujem jeziku, če vsebuje v slovenskem jeziku ali v enem izmed uradnih jezikov EPK, Madridskega aranžmaja, Madridskega Protokola ali Haaškega sporazuma vsaj navedbo pravice, ki se zahteva, in navedbo, ki omogoča stik Urada s prijaviteljem.
(3) Če je prijava vložena v tujem jeziku, mora prijavitelj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Uradu predložiti prevod te prijave v slovenskem jeziku. Če Urad ne prejme pravočasno prevoda te prijave v slovenskem jeziku, se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.
(4) Urad vodi postopek na podlagi prijave v slovenskem jeziku.

82. člen

(določitev datuma vložitve prijave)

(1) Urad določi ob upoštevanju drugega odstavka 81. člena tega zakona datum vložitve prijave in številko prijave pri vsaki prijavi, ki vsebuje vsaj:
a) navedbo, iz katere je mogoče razbrati, da se zahteva pridobitev določene pravice;
b) podatke, ki omogočajo Uradu ugotovitev identitete prijavitelja, ali vzpostavitev stika z njim;
c) najnujnejše sestavine prijave za pravico, katere pridobitev se zahteva, po drugem odstavku tega člena.
(2) Najnujnejše sestavine iz točke c) prejšnjega odstavka so:
a) pri patentni prijavi: del prijave, ki je na prvi pogled videti kot opis izuma;
b) pri prijavi modela: fotografija ali grafični prikaz videza izdelka oziroma pri dvodimenzionalnih izdelkih primerek izdelka ali njegovega dela, če je zahtevan odlog
objave po drugem odstavku 94. člena tega zakona;
c) pri prijavi znamke: prikaz znaka in navedba blaga ali storitev, za katere se zahteva varstvo, in pravilnik iz 46. člena tega zakona pri prijavi kolektivne znamke.
(3) Kot datum vložitve prijave se šteje datum, ko je Urad ob upoštevanju 83. člena tega zakona prejel vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka tega člena, razen če ta zakon ali mednarodna pogodba, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo, določata drugače. Urad izda prijavitelju potrdilo o prejemu prijave, na katerem sta navedena datum vložitve in številka prijave.
(4) Če prijava ne vsebuje vseh sestavin iz prvega odstavka tega člena in ji ni mogoče določiti številke in datuma vložitve, Urad takoj, ko prejme podatke, ki omogočajo vzpostavitev stika s prijaviteljem, o tem obvesti prijavitelja in ga pozove, naj v treh mesecih
od vročitve poziva prijavo dopolni vsaj tako, da bo izpolnjevala pogoje iz prvega odstavka tega člena.
(5) Če je prijava iz prejšnjega odstavka pravočasno dopolnjena tako, da vsebuje vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka tega člena, Urad pri prijavi določi številko in datum vložitve prijave z dnem prejema vseh sestavin iz prvega odstavka tega člena, in o tem izda prijavitelju potrdilo.
(6) Če prijava iz četrtega odstavka tega člena ni pravočasno ali v celoti ustrezno dopolnjena, se šteje, da je umaknjena, o čemer Urad obvesti prijavitelja.

83. člen

(posebnosti pri določitvi datuma vložitve patentne prijave)

(1) Če je ob določanju datuma vložitve patentne prijave videti, kot da v prijavi manjka del opisa izuma ali skica, na katero se prijavitelj sklicuje v prijavi, Urad o tem brez odlašanja obvesti prijavitelja, in ga pozove, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva prijavo ustrezno dopolni.
(2) Če prijavitelj v roku iz prejšnjega odstavka predloži manjkajoči del opisa izuma ali manjkajočo skico, se ta del opisa izuma ali skica vključi v prijavo, kot datum vložitve prijave pa se šteje datum, ko je Urad prejel ta del opisa izuma ali to skico, ali datum, ko je Urad prejel vse sestavine iz prvega odstavka 82. člena tega zakona, in sicer tisti, ki je kasnejši.
(3) Če prijavitelj pri prijavi, v kateri je videti, kot da manjka del opisa izuma ali skica, zahteva prednostno pravico po 61. členu tega zakona, mora biti manjkajoči del opisa izuma ali skice v celoti vsebovan v prvi prijavi.
(4) Če prijavitelj uveljavlja prednostno pravico po 61. členu tega zakona, se za potrebe določitve datuma vložitve patentne prijave šteje, da so pri prijavi vložene najnujnejše sestavine iz točke a) drugega odstavka 82. člena tega zakona, če prijavitelj ob vložitvi prijave v Republiki Sloveniji navede datum, številko in državo oziroma urad vložitve prijave, na katero se sklicuje. Prijavitelj mora v takem primeru v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Uradu predložiti prepis prve prijave iz tretjega odstavka 61. člena tega zakona, razen če je bila prva prijava vložena pri Uradu ali če je prva prijava dostopna Uradu po digitalni knjižnici, ki jo Urad sprejema za te potrebe. Če prijavitelj tega ne stori, se šteje, da prednostna pravica ni bila zahtevana.

84. člen

(poziv za predložitev vseh sestavin)

(1) Če prijava, kateri sta bila določena datum vložitve in številka, ne vsebuje vseh sestavin iz 79. člena tega zakona, Urad pozove prijavitelja, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva prijavo ustrezno dopolni in odpravi ugotovljene pomanjkljivosti.
(2) Če prijava iz prejšnjega odstavka ni pravočasno in v celoti ustrezno dopolnjena, se šteje, da je umaknjena, razen v primerih iz četrtega odstavka 128. in petega odstavka 129. člena tega zakona.

85. člen

(formalni preizkus prijave)

(1) Urad pri prijavi, ki vsebuje vse sestavine iz 79. člena tega zakona, preveri, ali so vse sestavine prijave in morebitne priloge ali dokazila k prijavi, po vsebini in obliki sestavljene tako, kot je določeno s tem zakonom in predpisi, izdanimi na njegovi podlagi.
(2) Urad pri patentni prijavi poleg tega preveri, ali prijavljeni izum ustreza zahtevam iz drugega in četrtega odstavka 87. člena tega zakona in ali so plačane vse pristojbine, vključno z morebitnimi pristojbinami za vzdrževanje po četrtem odstavku 109. oziroma četrtem odstavku 110. člena tega zakona.
(3) Če Urad pri prijavi znamke ugotovi, da v seznamu blaga ali storitev kakšno blago ali storitev ni razvrščeno po mednarodni klasifikaciji, sprejeti z Nicejskim aranžmajem o mednarodni klasifikaciji proizvodov in storitev zaradi registracije znamk z dne 15. junija 1957, revidiranim 14. julija 1967 (Uradni list SFRJ-MP, št. 51/74, Uradni list RS-MP, št. 9/92, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Nicejska klasifikacija), ali da je razvrščeno v napačen razred po Nicejski klasifikaciji lahko, če gre za manjše pomanjkljivosti v seznamu blaga ali storitev, Urad sam razvrsti blago ali storitev oziroma popravi razvrstitev blaga ali storitev po Nicejski klasifikaciji in o tem obvesti prijavitelja. Če Urad sam razvrsti ali popravi več kot pet razvrstitev blaga ali storitev po Nicejski klasifikaciji, pozove prijavitelja, naj v roku enega meseca od vročitve poziva plača pristojbino za razvrstitev. Če prijavitelj ne plača pravočasno zahtevane pristojbine, se šteje, da je prijava za blago ali storitve, ki jih je Urad sam razvrstil ali popravil njihovo razvrstitev po Nicejski klasifikaciji, umaknjena.
(4) Če Urad pri prijavi znamke ugotovi, da je kakšno blago ali storitev v seznamu blaga ali storitev navedeno nejasno, ali če Urad ne ravna po prejšnjem odstavku, pozove prijavitelja, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva odpravi nejasnosti in pomanjkljivosti glede razvrstitve blaga ali storitev po Nicejski klasifikaciji. Če prijavitelj ne odpravi pravočasno nejasnosti in pomanjkljivosti v seznamu blaga ali storitev, se šteje, da je prijava za blago ali storitve, ki jih prijavitelj ni jasno navedel in ni pravilno razvrstil po Nicejski klasifikaciji, umaknjena.
(5) Če Urad ugotovi kakšne pomanjkljivosti v prijavi ali v prilogah ali dokazilih k prijavi, pozove prijavitelja, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva odpravi ugotovljene pomanjkljivosti.
(6) Če prijavitelj ne odpravi pravočasno vseh ugotovljenih pomanjkljivosti, se prijava šteje za umaknjeno, razen v primerih iz tretjega in četrtega odstavka tega člena, četrtega odstavka 128. in petega odstavka 129. člena tega zakona.
(7) Če Urad ugotovi, da vse sestavine prijave in morebitne priloge in dokazila k prijavi po vsebini in obliki ustrezajo določbam tega zakona in predpisom, izdanim na njegovi podlagi, se postopek nadaljuje:
a) pri patentni prijavi – po določbah 88. in nadaljnjih členov tega zakona;
b) pri prijavi modela – po določbi 96. člena tega zakona;
c) pri prijavi znamke – po določbah 99. in nadaljnjih členov tega zakona.
2. oddelek
Posebne določbe za patent

86. člen

(sestavine patentne prijave)

(1) Patentna prijava mora imeti naslednje sestavine:
a) zahtevo za podelitev patenta;
b) opis izuma;
c) enega ali več patentnih zahtevkov;
d) kratko vsebino izuma (povzetek);
e) skico ali skice izuma, če je to potrebno.
(2) Najkasneje do izdaje sklepa o objavi prijave lahko prijavitelj vloži patentno prijavo, katere predmet je izločen iz prvotne patentne prijave (v nadaljnjem besedilu: izločena prijava) in ne presega njene vsebine. Šteje se, da je izločena prijava vložena z istim datumom kot prvotna prijava. Za izločeno prijavo se lahko zahteva ista prednostna pravica kot za prvotno prijavo.
(3) Patent s skrajšanim trajanjem se zahteva ob vložitvi patentne prijave ali v dvanajstih mesecih od datuma njene vložitve. Po izteku tega roka zahteve ni mogoče preklicati.

87. člen

(vsebina sestavin patentne prijave)

(1) Zahteva za podelitev patenta mora vsebovati podatke o prijavitelju (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firmo in sedež), naziv izuma, ki opredeljuje njegov predmet, ter druge podatke, določene s podzakonskim predpisom, ki se nanašajo na prijavo.
(2) Opis izuma mora vsebovati prikaz problema, podatke o stanju tehnike oziroma dosedanjih rešitvah in njihovih pomanjkljivostih, ki so prijavitelju znane, ter opis nove rešitve. Izum mora biti v opisu predstavljen dovolj jasno in popolno, da ga lahko uporabi strokovnjak s področja, na katerega se predmet izuma nanaša.
(3) Če se izum nanaša na biološki material, določen s podzakonskim predpisom, ki ni dostopen javnosti in ga v prijavi ni mogoče opisati na način, ki omogoča strokovnjaku s področja, na katerega se nanaša predmet izuma, da ga uporabi, se opis izuma dopolni s potrdilom o deponiranju biološkega materiala, pri katerem izmed mednarodnih depozitarnih organov po 7. členu Budimpeštanske pogodbe o mednarodnem priznanju depozita mikroorganizmov za postopek patentiranja z dne 28. aprila 1977, dopolnjene 26. septembra
1980 (Uradni list RS-MP, št. 21/97).
(4) V patentnem zahtevku ali zahtevkih mora biti naveden predmet zahtevanega varstva. Patentni zahtevki morajo biti jasni in strnjeni ter podprti z opisom.
(5) Povzetek je namenjen le tehničnemu informiranju in ga ni mogoče uporabiti v druge namene, zlasti ne za razlago obsega zahtevanega varstva.
(6) Ena patentna prijava lahko vsebuje tudi več izumov, ki so med seboj tako povezani, da pomenijo enotno izumiteljsko zamisel.

88. člen

(preizkus pogojev za podelitev patenta)

(1) Urad pri patentni prijavi preveri:
a) ali je ob upoštevanju 11. člena tega zakona predmet prijavljenega izuma mogoče zavarovati s patentom;
b) ali prijavljeni izum na prvi pogled ustreza zahtevam iz 12., 14. in 15. člena tega zakona.
(2) Urad pri prijavi za patent s skrajšanim trajanjem preveri:
a) ali je ob upoštevanju prvega odstavka in točke a) drugega odstavka 11. člena tega zakona predmet prijavljenega izuma mogoče zavarovati s patentom s skrajšanim trajanjem;
b) ali prijavljeni izum na prvi pogled ustreza zahtevam iz 12., 15. in 16. člena tega zakona.
(3) Če Urad ugotovi, da patentni zahtevki iz patentne prijave ustrezajo vsem zahtevam iz prvega odstavka tega člena oziroma da patentni zahtevki iz prijave za patent s skrajšanim trajanjem ustrezajo vsem zahtevam iz prejšnjega odstavka, sprejme sklep o objavi prijave v uradnem glasilu Urada.
(4) Če Urad ugotovi, da patentni zahtevki iz prijave ne ustrezajo vsem zahtevam iz prvega odstavka tega člena oziroma da patentni zahtevki iz prijave za patent s skrajšanim trajanjem ne ustrezajo vsem zahtevam iz drugega odstavka tega člena, zavrne zahtevo za podelitev patenta.
(5) Če Urad ugotovi, da kakšni patentni zahtevki iz prijave ne ustrezajo vsem zahtevam iz prvega oziroma drugega odstavka tega člena, zavrne prijavo le v tem delu.

89. člen

(objava patentne prijave)

(1) Urad objavi patentno prijavo po poteku osemnajstih mesecev od datuma vložitve prijave ali od datuma prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana.
(2) Prijavitelj lahko zahteva, da se prijava objavi pred rokom iz prejšnjega odstavka, vendar ne prej kot po poteku treh mesecev od datuma vložitve prijave ali od datuma prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana.
(3) Hkrati z objavo patentne prijave objavi Urad tudi podelitev patenta.

90. člen

(podelitev patenta)

(1) Urad izda odločbo o podelitvi patenta in vpiše patent v register patentov. Kot datum podelitve patenta se šteje datum objave patentne prijave.
(2) Do izdaje odločbe po 93. členu tega zakona je obseg varstva določen z vsebino objavljenih patentnih zahtevkov.

91. člen

(rok za predložitev pisnega dokazila)

(1) Najkasneje do izteka devetega leta trajanja patenta mora imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta Uradu predložiti pisno dokazilo o tem, da patentirani izum ustreza vsem zahtevam po 10., 12., 14. in 15. členu tega zakona.
(2) Imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta mora ob predložitvi dokazila iz prejšnjega odstavka ali v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada plačati pristojbino za izdajo ugotovitvene odločbe. Če pristojbina ni pravočasno plačana, se šteje, da dokazilo ni bilo vloženo.
(3) Če imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta ne ravna po prvem odstavku tega člena, preneha patent veljati z dnem, ko poteče deseto leto njegove veljavnosti.
(4) Če imetnik patenta predloži dokazilo iz prvega odstavka tega člena zaradi tožbe po 121. členu tega zakona, izda Urad prednostno eno od odločb iz 93. člena tega zakona.
(5) Določbe tega člena ne veljajo za patent s skrajšanim trajanjem.
(6) Za evropski patent, ki je veljaven v Republiki Sloveniji na podlagi evropske patentne prijave, vložene v skladu z drugim odstavkom 3. člena tega zakona, so določbe tega ter 92. in 93. člena tega zakona neposredno izpolnjene z dnem, ko je EPU objavil njegovo podelitev.

92. člen

(vrste pisnega dokazila)

(1) Za dokazilo iz 91. člena tega zakona se šteje slovenski prevod enega ali več evropskih patentov, ki jih je podelil EPU za isti izum.
(2) Če za isti izum ni bila vložena prijava za evropski patent, se lahko kot dokazilo iz 91. člena tega zakona predloži slovenski prevod patenta za isti izum, ki ga je po popolnem preizkusu podelila katerakoli druga ustanova, ki ima po 32. členu PCT status mednarodne ustanove za predhodno preizkušanje, ali drug patentni urad, s katerim je bila sklenjena ustrezna pogodba.
(3) Če postopek podelitve patenta, ki naj bi služil kot dokazilo po prvem ali drugem odstavku tega člena, še ni končan, mora prijavitelj v roku iz prvega odstavka 91. člena tega zakona o tem obvestiti Urad. Na podlagi obvestila Urad prekine postopek. Postopek se nadaljuje, če imetnik patenta v treh mesecih od dneva podelitve patenta, Uradu predloži dokazilo po tem členu. Če dokazilo po tem členu ni predloženo v tem roku, se šteje, da je patent prenehal veljati z dnem, ko poteče deseto leto njegove veljavnosti.
(4) Slovenski prevod patenta, ki služi kot dokazilo iz 91. člena tega zakona, ne more zagotavljati večjega obsega patentnega varstva, kot ga zagotavlja izvirno besedilo prevedenega patenta.
(5) Če Urad dvomi v pravilnost prevoda, lahko zahteva, da imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva predloži overjen slovenski prevod patenta, ki služi kot dokazilo iz 91. člena tega zakona. Če overjen slovenski prevod ni pravočasno predložen, se šteje, da dokazilo ni bilo vloženo.
(6) Če je dokazilo predloženo na podlagi drugega odstavka tega člena, mora imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta predložiti seznam in kopije vseh drugih patentov, ki bi lahko šteli za dokazilo, vključno s podatki o patentnih prijavah in patentih, ki so bili zavrnjeni. Če seznam in kopije dokumentov niso priložene k dokazilu, se šteje, da dokazilo ni bilo vloženo.
(7) Če Urad ugotovi, da je dokazilo na podlagi tega člena ponarejeno ali da ni resnično, Urad z odločbo razglasi patent za ničnega.
(8) Če imetnik patenta ali imetnik izključne pravice iz patenta nima dokazila po prvem ali drugem odstavku tega člena, lahko ob plačilu posebne pristojbine od Urada zahteva, da ta od katerekoli ustanove ali urada, navedenega v drugem odstavku tega člena,
pridobi ustrezne podatke ali mnenje kot podlago za izdajo ene od odločb po 93. členu tega zakona.

93. člen

(izdaja ugotovitvene odločbe)

(1) Urad izda na podlagi predloženega dokazila in drugih dokumentov po 92. členu tega zakona:
a) ugotovitveno odločbo, da izum ustreza zahtevam iz 10., 12., 14. in 15. člena tega zakona in da tem zahtevam v celoti ustrezajo patentni zahtevki podeljenega patenta; ali
b) ugotovitveno odločbo, da izum le deloma ustreza zahtevam iz 10., 12., 14. in 15. člena tega zakona, zaradi česar se ustrezno spremenijo patentni zahtevki podeljenega patenta; ali
c) ugotovitveno odločbo, da izum ob datumu vložitve patentne prijave ni ustrezal zahtevam iz 10., 12., 14. in 15. člena tega zakona, zaradi česar se patent razglasi za ničnega.
(2) Urad ne more izdati odločbe po točki b) ali c) iz prejšnjega odstavka, če ni prej pisno seznanil imetnika patenta o predvidenih spremembah patentnih zahtevkov ali ničnosti patenta in če ni imetnika patenta pozval, naj se v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva o tem izreče oziroma ustrezno spremeni ali dopolni patentne zahtevke. Če se imetnik patenta pravočasno izreče oziroma spremeni ali dopolni patentne zahtevke, Urad pred izdajo odločbe po točki b) ali c) iz prejšnjega odstavka preveri, ali so še podani razlogi za njeno izdajo. Če se imetnik patenta ne izreče pravočasno, se šteje, da soglaša z mnenjem Urada.
(3) Patentni zahtevki, spremenjeni z odločbo iz točke b) prvega odstavka tega člena ne morejo zagotavljati večjega obsega varstva, kot ga zagotavljajo patentni zahtevki patenta, podeljenega z odločbo po 90. členu tega zakona.
(4) Če Urad na podlagi predloženih dokazil po prvem odstavku 92. člena tega zakona ugotovi, da podeljeni patent ne ustreza zahtevi iz šestega odstavka 87. člena tega zakona, razdeli prvotni patent na več patentov, ki obdržijo datum vložitve prijave in datum morebitne zahtevane prednostne pravice prvotnega patenta.
3. oddelek
Posebne določbe za model

94. člen

(sestavine prijave modela)

(1) Prijava modela mora imeti naslednje sestavine:
a) zahtevo za registracijo modela;
b) fotografijo ali grafični prikaz videza izdelka ali njegovega dela oziroma izdelkov, če se prijava nanaša na več izdelkov, v številu izvodov, predpisanim s podzakonskim predpisom.
(2) V prijavi lahko prijavitelj zahteva, da se glavni podatki iz prijave ne objavijo pred iztekom dvanajstih mesecev od datuma vložitve prijave oziroma datuma prednosti, če je ta zahtevana. Če se prijava nanaša na več izdelkov, ni mogoče zahtevati odloga objave le za nekatere izdelke.
(3) Če se prijava nanaša na dvodimenzionalni izdelek, vključno s tekstilnim vzorcem ali hologramom, ali njegov del in je zahtevan odlog objave po prejšnjem odstavku, se lahko ob vložitvi prijave namesto fotografije ali grafičnega prikaza videza izdelka ali
njegovega dela priloži primerek tega izdelka ali njegovega dela. Fotografijo ali grafični prikaz tega izdelka v številu izvodov, predpisanim s podzakonskim predpisom, mora prijavitelj predložiti najkasneje dva meseca pred iztekom roka zahtevanega odloga objave po prejšnjem odstavku, sicer se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.

95. člen

(vsebina sestavin prijave modela)

(1) Zahteva za registracijo modela mora vsebovati podatke o prijavitelju (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firmo in sedež), navedbo izdelka, na katerega se predmet prijave nanaša, razvrstitev po mednarodni klasifikaciji, sprejeti z Locarnskim aranžmajem o ustanovitvi mednarodne klasifikacije za industrijske vzorce in modele z dne 8. oktobra 1968 (Uradni list SFRJ-MP, št. 51/74, Uradni list RS-MP, št. 9/92, v nadaljnjem besedilu: Locarnska klasifikacija), ter druge podatke, določene s podzakonskim predpisom, ki se nanašajo na prijavo.
(2) Ena prijava modela se lahko nanaša na več izdelkov, če so razvrščeni v isti razred Locarnske klasifikacije.
(3) Iz fotografije ali grafičnega prikaza videza izdelka ali njegovega dela mora biti razvidno, v čem je novost in individualni značaj videza izdelka, za katerega se zahteva varstvo.

96. člen

(preizkus pogojev za registracijo modela)

(1) Urad pri prijavi modela preveri, ali je ob upoštevanju določb 36. člena tega zakona, razen točke b), prijavljeni videz izdelka mogoče registrirati kot model.
(2) Če Urad ugotovi, da prijavljeni videz izdelka ustreza zahtevam iz prejšnjega odstavka, izda odločbo o registraciji modela, vpiše model v register in objavi registracijo modela.
(3) Če Urad ugotovi, da prijavljeni videz izdelka ne ustreza zahtevam iz prvega odstavka tega člena, prijavo modela v delu ali v celoti zavrne.
4. oddelek
Posebne določbe za znamko

97. člen

(sestavine prijave znamke)

(1) Prijava znamke mora imeti naslednje sestavine:
a) zahtevo za registracijo znamke;
b) seznam blaga ali storitev, za katere se zahteva varstvo;
c) prikaz znaka v številu izvodov, predpisanim s podzakonskim predpisom.
(2) Prijava kolektivne znamke mora poleg sestavin iz prejšnjega odstavka vsebovati tudi pravilnik iz 46. člena tega zakona.
(3) Za vsak znak se vloži posebna prijava. Prijavitelj sme z eno prijavo zahtevati registracijo znamke za več vrst blaga ali storitev. Prijavitelj lahko z več prijavami zahteva tudi registracijo več različnih ali podobnih znamk za isto vrsto blaga ali storitev.
(4) Na zahtevo prijavitelja se lahko prijava znamke za blago ali storitve, ki so razvrščeni v dva ali več razredov po Nicejski klasifikaciji, med postopkom registracije, vključno z upravnim sporom, razdeli v več prijav. Vsaka prijava obdrži datum vložitve prvotne prijave in datum prednostne pravice, če je ta zahtevana.

98. člen

(vsebina sestavin prijave znamke)

(1) Zahteva za registracijo znamke mora vsebovati podatke o prijavitelju (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firmo in sedež), navedbo barv, če se prijava nanaša na znak v barvah, navedbo, če se prijava nanaša na tridimenzionalni znak, navedbo, če je prijava za kolektivno znamko, ter druge podatke, določene s podzakonskim predpisom, ki se nanašajo na prijavo.
(2) Blago in storitve, navedeni v seznamu blaga ali storitev, morajo biti razvrščeni po Nicejski klasifikaciji.

99. člen

(preizkus prijave na absolutne pogoje za zavrnitev znamke)

(1) Urad pred objavo prijave znamke preveri, ali je ob upoštevanju 42. in 43. člena tega zakona prijavljeni znak mogoče registrirati kot znamko. Pri prijavi kolektivne znamke Urad dodatno preveri, ali prijava ustreza zahtevam iz 45. in 46. člena tega zakona.
(2) Če Urad ugotovi, da prijavljeni znak ustreza zahtevam iz prejšnjega odstavka, objavi prijavo znamke.
(3) Če Urad ugotovi, da prijavljeni znak ne ustreza zahtevam iz prvega odstavka tega člena, prijavo znamke v delu ali v celoti zavrne.

100. člen

(nasprotujoče mnenje tretjih)

(1) Po objavi prijave znamke lahko vsakdo Uradu sporoči svoje mnenje, da prijavljenega znaka ob upoštevanju 42. in 43. člena tega zakona ni mogoče registrirati kot znamko, in navede razloge.
(2) Oseba, ki predloži takšno mnenje Uradu, ni stranka v postopku pred Uradom. (3) Urad obvesti prijavitelja znamke o mnenju tretjih iz prvega odstavka tega člena.
Prijavitelj lahko Uradu odgovori in navede svoje razloge glede prejetega mnenja tretjih.

101. člen

(ugovor zoper registracijo znamke)

(1) V treh mesecih od dneva objave prijave znamke lahko imetnik prejšnje znamke pri Uradu vloži pisni ugovor zoper registracijo znamke.
(2) Ugovor lahko temelji le na razlogih iz 44. člena tega zakona in mora vsebovati ustrezne dokaze.
(3) Ugovor po prvem odstavku tega člena lahko vloži tudi imetnik znamke, ki je registrirana v kakšni državi članici Pariške unije ali WTO in ki jo je v Republiki Sloveniji prijavil njegov posrednik ali zastopnik brez njegovega soglasja.
(4) Če je podlaga za ugovor točka f) prvega odstavka 44. člena tega zakona, lahko ugovor po tem členu vloži tudi imetnik prej pridobljene pravice iz točke f) prvega odstavka 44. člena tega zakona.
(5) Hkrati z vložitvijo ugovora ali najkasneje v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada se plača pristojbina za ugovor in predloži pooblastilo za zastopanje, če je ugovor vložen po zastopniku.
(6) Če vložnik umakne ugovor, umika kasneje ne more preklicati.
(7) Če ugovor ne izpolnjuje pogojev iz tega člena, se šteje, da ni bil vložen.

102. člen

(preizkus prijave po ugovoru)

(1) Urad obvesti prijavitelja znamke o vloženem ugovoru. Prijavitelj se lahko v treh mesecih po prejemu obvestila izreče o razlogih iz ugovora.
(2) Na podlagi ugovora in morebitnega mnenja prijavitelja iz prejšnjega odstavka
Urad preveri utemeljenost navedb v ugovoru.
(3) Če Urad v preizkusu navedb iz ugovora ugotovi, da ugovor ni utemeljen in da je znamko mogoče registrirati za prijavljeno blago ali storitve, se ugovor zavrne.
(4) Če Urad v preizkusu navedb iz ugovora ugotovi, da je ugovor utemeljen in da znamke ni mogoče registrirati za vse ali le za nekatero blago ali storitve, za katere je znak prijavljen, se prijava znamke v celoti ali delno zavrne.

103. člen

(registracija znamke)

(1) Če ugovor zoper registracijo znamke ni bil vložen ali če je bil zavrnjen ali se je štelo, da ni bil vložen, Urad pozove prijavitelja, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva plača pristojbino za registracijo znamke. Ta pristojbina vključuje pristojbino za trajanje znamke za prvih deset let.
(2) Po plačilu pristojbine iz prejšnjega odstavka izda Urad odločbo o registraciji znamke, vpiše znamko v register in objavi registracijo znamke.
(3) Če prijavitelj ne plača pravočasno pristojbine iz prvega odstavka tega člena, se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.
5. oddelek
Posebne določbe za geografsko označbo

104. člen

(registracija geografske označbe)

(1) Zahtevo za registracijo geografske označbe lahko vložijo združenja pravnih ali fizičnih oseb, zbornice, občine, širše lokalne skupnosti ali državni organi.
(2) Zahtevi iz prejšnjega odstavka mora biti priložena specifikacija, ki vsebuje predvsem:
a) oznako, ki naj se registrira kot geografska označba;
b) navedbo blaga, na katerega se predlagana geografska označba nanaša;
c) opis blaga, vključno s surovinami in glavnimi fizikalnimi, kemičnimi, mikrobiološkimi, organoleptičnimi ali drugimi značilnostmi blaga;
d) navedbo kraja oziroma območja, vključno z mejami;
e) opis metode za pridobitev blaga, vključno z avtentičnimi in nespremenjenimi krajevnimi načini, če je to potrebno;
f) opis povezave med blagom in krajem oziroma območjem;
g) podrobne podatke o organih nadzora;
h) podrobne podatke o označevanju blaga.
(3) Če zahteva ustreza določbam iz tega ter 55. in 56. člena tega zakona, izda Urad odločbo o registraciji geografske označbe, vpiše geografsko označbo v register in objavi registracijo geografske označbe.
(4) Določba tega člena se ne uporablja za geografske označbe, ki so zavarovane na podlagi tretjega odstavka 55. člena tega zakona.
Osmo poglavje
REGISTRI IN VZDRŽEVANJE PRAVIC

105. člen

(registri)

(1) Urad vodi registre patentov, dodatnih varstvenih certifikatov, modelov, znamk in geografskih označb ter registre prijav za navedene pravice. Registri so javni, razen če ta zakon določa drugače.
(2) Za datum vpisa pravice v register se šteje datum podelitve patenta ali dodatnega varstvenega certifikata oziroma datum izdaje odločbe o registraciji modela, znamke ali geografske označbe.
(3) Urad na zahtevo vložnika in ob plačilu takse po zakonu, ki ureja upravne takse, izdaja potrdila iz registrov.
(4) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi vsebino registrov, vsebino zahtev za vpis spremembe v register, postopek vpisa spremembe v register, vsebino potrdil iz registra in postopek izdaje potrdil iz registra.

106. člen

(vsebina registrov)

(1) V register patentov se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka, datum vložitve in številka prijave, zahtevana prednostna pravica, datum objave, datum vpisa v register, številka in datum izdaje ugotovitvene odločbe po 93. členu tega zakona, podatki o
imetniku (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firma in sedež), vrsta patenta, podatki o izumitelju (priimek, ime in naslov), naziv izuma, podatki o vzdrževanju patenta, datum prenehanja patenta.
(2) V register dodatnih varstvenih certifikatov se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka, datum vložitve in številka prijave, datum objave prijave in dodatnega varstvenega certifikata, datum vpisa v register, podatki o prijavitelju in imetniku dodatnega varstvenega certifikata (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firma in sedež), naziv proizvoda oziroma sredstva, registrska številka patenta, na podlagi katerega je podeljen dodatni varstveni certifikat, številka in datum prve odobritve, da se da proizvod oziroma sredstvo na trg kot zdravilo oziroma fitofarmacevtsko sredstvo v Republiki Sloveniji oziroma Skupnosti, navedba države, če odobritve ni izdal pristojni organ Skupnosti po centraliziranem postopku, datum, do katerega velja certifikat, podatki o vzdrževanju certifikata, datum prenehanja dodatnega varstvenega certifikata.
(3) V register modelov se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka, datum vložitve prijave, zahtevana prednostna pravica, datum objave, datum vpisa v register, podatki o imetniku (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firma in sedež), podatki o oblikovalcu (priimek, ime in naslov), če oblikovalec to želi, navedba izdelka, število izdelkov, razvrstitev po Locarnski klasifikaciji, podatki o obnovitvi modela, datum prenehanja modela.
(4) V register znamk se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka, datum vložitve prijave, zahtevana prednostna pravica, datum objave prijave in registracije znamke, podatki o nasprotujočem mnenju tretjih, podatki o ugovoru in vložniku ugovora, datum vpisa v register, podatki o imetniku oziroma nosilcu (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firma in sedež), videz znamke, seznam blaga oziroma storitev in razvrstitev blaga oziroma storitev po Nicejski klasifikaciji, podatki o mednarodni registraciji, podatki o obnovitvi znamke, podatki o razveljavitvi znamke, datum prenehanja znamke.
(5) V register geografskih označb se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka, datum vložitve zahteve, datum objave, datum vpisa v register, geografska označba, vrsta blaga in kraj, na katerega se oznaka nanaša.
(6) Po uradni dolžnosti se v registre iz prvega odstavka 105. člena tega zakona vpišejo podatki o sodnih sporih, o katerih je Urad obveščen, in pravnomočnih sodbah.
(7) Določbe tega člena se smiselno uporabljajo za registre prijav.

107. člen

(vpis sprememb v register)

(1) Na zahtevo vložnika se v register iz prvega odstavka 105. člena tega zakona vpišejo vse kasnejše spremembe, ki se nanašajo na pravico ali imetnika pravice. Ta odstavek se smiselno uporablja za prijave in prijavitelje.
(2) Prenos pravice ali licenca se na zahtevo ene od pogodbenih strank vpiše v ustrezni register.
(3) Tisti, ki je bil pred vpisom spremembe v registru vpisan kot imetnik pravice, lahko ob predložitvi ustreznih dokazov s tožbo v upravnem sporu pri Upravnem sodišču Republike Slovenije v Ljubljani, kot izključno krajevno pristojnem sodišču, izpodbija vsako spremembo v registru, ki je bila v register neupravičeno vpisana brez njegovega soglasja.

108. člen

(postopek za vpis sprememb)

(1) Ena zahteva za vpis spremembe se lahko nanaša na več sprememb v registru. Ena sama zahteva zadošča tudi, kadar se sprememba ali spremembe nanašajo na več kot eno prijavo oziroma pravico iste osebe, če so sprememba ali spremembe enake za vse zadevne prijave in pravice in če so v zahtevi navedene številke vseh zadevnih prijav in pravic.
(2) Za vpis vsake spremembe v register pri vsaki prijavi ali pravici se plača pristojbina ob vložitvi zahteve ali najkasneje v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada. Če pristojbina ni pravočasno plačana, se šteje, da je zahteva umaknjena.
(3) Če vloži zahtevo za vpis spremembe tisti, ki je v registru vpisan kot imetnik pravice, Urad nemudoma izda odločbo o vpisu spremembe v register in vpiše spremembo v register.
(4) Če vloži zahtevo za vpis spremembe kdo, ki v registru ni vpisan kot imetnik pravice, mora skupaj z zahtevo ali v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada predložiti soglasje imetnika pravice za vpis zahtevane spremembe v register ali po svoji izbiri kakšno drugo dokumentacijo, iz katere je razvidna pravna podlaga za vpis spremembe. Če Urad dvomi v resničnost navedb v zahtevi za vpis spremembe ali če je predložena dokumentacija v tujem jeziku, lahko zahteva, da vložnik zahteve v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva predloži dodatno dokumentacijo oziroma slovenski prevod predložene dokumentacije.
(5) Če vložnik ne predloži pravočasno dodatne dokumentacije ali njenega prevoda iz prejšnjega odstavka, se zahteva za vpis spremembe šteje za umaknjeno.
(6) Urad odloči o vpisu spremembe z odločbo.

109. člen

(pristojbine za vzdrževanje)

(1) Za vzdrževanje pravic se plačujejo pristojbine, ki zapadejo v plačilo, šteto od datuma vložitve prijave:
a) za patent: vsako leto za naslednje leto veljavnosti;
b) za model: vsakih pet let za naslednjih pet let veljavnosti;
c) za znamko: vsakih deset let za naslednjih deset let veljavnosti.
(2) Pristojbine po prejšnjem odstavku se plačajo v enem letu pred datumom zapadlosti.
(3) Pristojbina za patentno prijavo vključuje pristojbino za vzdrževanje patenta za prva tri leta njegovega trajanja. Pristojbina za prijavo modela vključuje pristojbino za vzdrževanje modela za prvih pet let njegovega trajanja.
(4) Če traja postopek podelitve patenta več kot tri leta od datuma vložitve prijave oziroma postopek registracije modela več kot pet let od datuma vložitve prijave, se za patentno prijavo oziroma prijavo modela smiselno uporabljajo določbe prvega in drugega odstavka tega člena.

110. člen

(plačilo pristojbin za vzdrževanje v naknadnem roku)

(1) Če pristojbina za vzdrževanje pravice ni plačana v skladu z določbami 109. člena tega zakona do vključno datuma zapadlosti, jo je še mogoče plačati v naknadnem roku šestih mesecev, šteto od datuma zapadlosti pristojbine, ob dodatnem plačilu zamudne pristojbine. Zamudna pristojbina znaša 50% celotnega zneska predpisane pristojbine, ki ni bila pravočasno plačana.
(2) Urad opozori imetnika pravice, da pristojbina za vzdrževanje iz prvega odstavka 109. člena tega zakona ni bila pravočasno plačana, o možnosti plačila po prejšnjem odstavku in o posledicah neplačila teh pristojbin.
(3) Če pristojbine za vzdrževanje pravic niso plačane do datuma zapadlosti ali tudi po opozorilu Urada niso plačane v roku iz prvega odstavka tega člena, vključno z zamudno pristojbino, pravica preneha veljati naslednji dan po datumu zapadlosti iz prvega odstavka
109. člena tega zakona.
(4) Prvi in drugi odstavek tega člena se smiselno uporabljata v primerih iz četrtega odstavka 109. člena tega zakona. Če v takih primerih pristojbina za vzdrževanje, vključno z zamudno pristojbino, tudi v naknadnem roku ni plačana, se šteje, da je prijava umaknjena.
Deveto poglavje
SODNO VARSTVO IN UVELJAVLJANJE PRAVIC
1. oddelek
Sodno varstvo
1. pododdelek
Ničnost pravic

111. člen

(tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti)

Vsaka zainteresirana oseba lahko pri pristojnem sodišču vloži tožbo za ugotovitev ničnosti patenta, patenta s skrajšanim trajanjem, modela ali znamke.

112. člen

(tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti patenta)

(1) Tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti patenta se lahko vloži, če je podan eden izmed naslednjih razlogov:
a) da izum ob datumu vložitve prijave ni izpolnjeval vseh zahtev iz 10., 11., 12., 14. in 15. člena tega zakona oziroma pri patentu s skrajšanim trajanjem zahtev iz 16. člena tega
zakona;
b) da izum v opisu ni predstavljen dovolj jasno in popolno, da bi ga lahko uporabil strokovnjak s področja, na katerega se izum nanaša;
c) če je vsebina varstva razširjena prek vsebine prve prejete prijave ali če je bil patent na
podlagi izločene prijave podeljen prek obsega prvotne prijave.
(2) Tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti patenta se lahko vloži tudi po izdaji ugotovitvene odločbe po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona ali po prenehanju veljavnosti patenta.
(3) Če je tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti evropskega patenta, ki je v Sloveniji veljaven na podlagi mednarodne pogodbe in zoper katerega je bil pri EPU vložen ugovor, vložena v teku ugovornega postopka pri EPU, sodišče prekine postopek do končne odločitve EPU v ugovornem postopku.

113. člen

(tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti modela)

Tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti modela se lahko vloži, če je ob upoštevanju datuma vložitve prijave podan eden izmed naslednjih razlogov:
a) da je bil model registriran v nasprotju s 36. členom tega zakona;
b) da prijavitelj ali imetnik modela ni bil upravičen do varstva modela.

114. člen

(tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti znamke)

(1) Tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti znamke se lahko vloži, če je bila ob upoštevanju datuma vložitve prijave znamka registrirana v nasprotju z 42. ali 43. členom tega zakona.
(2) Tožba za ugotovitev ničnosti kolektivne znamke se lahko vloži, če je bila ob upoštevanju datuma vložitve prijave kolektivna znamka registrirana v nasprotju z 42., 43., 45. ali 46. členom tega zakona.
(3) Če je bil razlog za tožbo iz prejšnjega odstavka registracija kolektivne znamke v nasprotju s 46. členom tega zakona, sodišče tožbo zavrže, če nosilec kolektivne znamke do izdaje sodne odločbe ustrezno popravi ali spremeni pravilnik iz 46. člena tega zakona.
2. pododdelek
Izpodbijanje pravice

115. člen

(izpodbijanje pravice do patenta oziroma modela)

(1) Izumitelj, njegov dedič ali drug pravni naslednik lahko s tožbo pri pristojnem sodišču ves čas, dokler traja patent, zahteva, da se ga razglasi za imetnika patenta, če je bil patent podeljen na ime nekoga, ki ni izumitelj, njegov dedič ali drug pravni naslednik.
(2) Oblikovalec videza izdelka, njegov dedič ali drug pravni naslednik lahko s tožbo pri pristojnem sodišču ves čas, dokler traja model, zahteva, da se ga razglasi za imetnika pravice, če je bil model registriran na ime nekoga, ki ni oblikovalec, njegov dedič ali drug pravni naslednik.
(3) Tožbo iz prvega ali drugega odstavka tega člena lahko vloži tudi oseba, ki ji pripadajo pravice iz patenta oziroma modela, če je patent podeljen ali model registriran na ime izumitelja oziroma oblikovalca ali druge osebe, ki ji je izumitelj oziroma oblikovalec neupravičeno omogočil, da je patent podeljen ali model registriran izdan na njeno ime.

116. člen

(izpodbijanje pravice do znamke)

(1) Pravne ali fizične osebe lahko s tožbo zahtevajo od pristojnega sodišča, da ugotovi, da je znak, ki ga uporabljajo v gospodarskem prometu za označevanje svojega blaga ali storitev, enak ali podoben znamki, ki jo uporablja kdo drug za zaznamovanje svojega blaga oziroma storitev iste ali podobne vrste, in da je bil ta znak splošno znan kot oznaka za blago ali storitve fizične ali pravne osebe, še preden je toženec prijavil znamko, kot tudi da sodišče s svojo odločbo razglasi tožnika za imetnika znamke.
(2) Izpodbijanju po prejšnjem odstavku sodišče ne ugodi, če toženec, ki je imetnik znamke, dokaže, da je še pred vložitvijo prijave uporabljal sporni znak za isto ali podobno vrsto blaga ali storitev prav toliko časa ali še dlje kot tožnik.
(3) Tožba iz prvega odstavka tega člena ni možna po preteku petih let od datuma vpisa znamke v register.

117. člen

(vpis novega imetnika v register)

(1) V treh mesecih od vročitve pravnomočne sodbe, s katero je bilo ugodeno tožbenemu zahtevku iz 115. ali 116. člena tega zakona, lahko tožnik zahteva, da se ga vpiše v register kot imetnika patenta, modela oziroma znamke in da se mu o tem izda ustrezno potrdilo.
(2) Če tisti, čigar tožbenemu zahtevku je ugodeno, ne vloži v roku iz prejšnjega odstavka zahteve, da se ga vpiše v register kot imetnika pravice, se pravica po uradni dolžnosti izbriše iz registra.
(3) Pravice, ki jih pridobi kdo drug od tistega, ki je bil pred sodbo iz prvega odstavka tega člena vpisan kot imetnik pravice, veljajo tudi nasproti novemu imetniku pravic, če so bile vpisane v ustrezni register ali pravilno prijavljene za vpis pred vložitvijo tožbe.
3. pododdelek
Priznanje pravice izumitelja ali oblikovalca do navedbe

118. člen

(tožba izumitelja ali oblikovalca za navedbo)

(1) Izumitelj ali oblikovalec lahko s tožbo pri pristojnem sodišču zahteva:
a) da je naveden v prijavi in vseh dokumentih;
b) da se pravnomočna sodba javno objavi na toženčeve stroške.
(2) Tožba iz prejšnjega odstavka se lahko vloži ves čas trajanja veljavnosti patenta ali modela.
4. pododdelek
Izbris in razveljavitev znamke

119. člen

(tožba za izbris znamke iz registra)

(1) Tožba za izbris znamke iz registra in prepoved uporabe znaka se lahko vloži pri pristojnem sodišču, če je podan eden izmed naslednjih razlogov:
a) da prijavitelj znamke ni prijavil v dobri veri;
b) da je bila znamka ob upoštevanju datuma vložitve prijave registrirana v nasprotju s 44. členom tega zakona razen v primerih iz 139. člena tega zakona;
c) če je zaradi dejanj ali dopustitve imetnika postala znamka običajno ime v trgovini za blago ali storitve, za katere je registrirana;
d) če imetnik znamke ali kdo drug z njegovim soglasjem uporablja znamko za blago ali
storitve, za katere je registrirana, tako da zavaja javnost, zlasti glede narave, kakovosti ali geografskega izvora tega blaga ali storitev.
(2) Tožba za izbris kolektivne znamke iz registra in prepoved uporabe znaka se lahko poleg razlogov iz prejšnjega odstavka vloži tudi, če je podan eden ali več izmed naslednjih razlogov:
a) če je nosilec kolektivne znamke prenehal obstajati;
b) če se kolektivna znamka uporablja v nasprotju s pravilnikom iz 46. člena tega zakona;
c) če je pravilnik o kolektivni znamki po registraciji kolektivne znamke spremenjen tako, da nasprotuje 46. členu tega zakona.
(3) Sodišče tožbi, vloženi po točki b) prvega odstavka tega člena, ne ugodi, če tožena stranka dokaže, da obstajajo razlogi iz 120. člena tega zakona za razveljavitev prejšnje znamke iz 44. člena tega zakona.
(4) Če je razlog za tožbo iz prvega ali drugega odstavka tega člena točka c), d) ali e) prvega odstavka 44. člena tega zakona, lahko tožnik namesto izbrisa znamke iz registra zahteva prenos znamke na svoje ime.
(5) V primeru iz točke c) drugega odstavka tega člena se smiselno uporablja tretji odstavek 114. člena tega zakona.
(6) Tožba iz točke b) prvega odstavka tega člena ni dopustna po preteku petih let od datuma vpisa pravice v register, razen če prijavitelj znamke ni prijavil v dobri veri.
(7) Znamka se izbriše iz registra znamk z dnem pravnomočnosti sodbe.

120. člen

(tožba za razveljavitev znamke zaradi neuporabe)

(1) Zainteresirana oseba lahko s tožbo pri pristojnem sodišču zahteva razveljavitev znamke, če imetnik brez upravičenega razloga neprekinjeno več kot pet let od datuma vpisa znamke v register oziroma od dneva, ko je bila zadnjič resno in dejansko uporabljena v Republiki Sloveniji, ne uporablja znamke za označevanje blaga ali storitev, za katere je znamka registrirana.
(2) Razveljavitve znamke ni mogoče zahtevati, če je imetnik začel ali ponovno začel resno in dejansko uporabljati znamko v obdobju med iztekom neprekinjenega petletnega obdobja iz prvega odstavka tega člena in vložitvijo tožbe za razveljavitev znamke. Na to okoliščino se ne more sklicevati tisti imetnik znamke, ki je začel znamko uporabljati ali jo ponovno uporabljati v roku treh mesecev pred vložitvijo tožbe, šteto najprej od izteka roka iz prvega odstavka tega člena, če je začel s pripravami na uporabo znamke ali njeno ponovno uporabo šele, ko se je zavedal, da mu grozi vložitev tožbe za razveljavitev njegove znamke.
(3) V postopku razveljavitve znamke imetnik dokazuje uporabo znamke.
(4) Šteje se, da imetnik uporablja znamko, če se ta uporablja z njegovim soglasjem ali če jo uporablja druga oseba, ki je za to pooblaščena.
(5) Pri kolektivni znamki se šteje, da jo nosilec uporablja, če kolektivno znamko uporablja vsaj ena oseba, ki ima pravico do njene uporabe.
(6) Kot uporaba znamke se šteje tudi:
a) uporaba znamke v obliki, ki se glede na obliko, v kateri je bila registrirana, razlikuje v elementih, ki ne spreminjajo razlikovalnega značaja znamke;
b) namestitev znamke na blago ali njegovo embalažo v Republiki Sloveniji izključno za
potrebe izvoza.
(7) Znamka se razveljavi za tisto blago ali storitve, za katere se ugotovi, da znamka ni bila uporabljena na območju Republike Slovenije, in sicer z dnem pravnomočnosti sodbe.
2. oddelek
Uveljavljanje pravic

120.a člen

(legitimacija)

Pravice do uveljavljanja sodnega varstva, ki jih ima imetnik pravice iz 18., 37., 47. ali 58. člena tega zakona, pripadajo smiselno tudi:
a) upravičencu do uporabe kolektivne znamke;
b) upravičencu do geografske označbe;
c) pridobitelju izključne licence, v obsegu, v katerem so z zakonom ali pravnim poslom pravice imetnika prenesene nanj, in
d) poklicnemu združenju, ustanovljenemu za varstvo pravic industrijske lastnine, v obsegu
v katerem so z zakonom ali pravnim poslom pravice imetnika prenesene nanj.

121. člen

(tožba zaradi kršitve pravic)

(1) Zoper osebo, ki brez soglasja imetnika pravice posega v njegove pravice iz
18., 37., 47. ali 58. člena tega zakona, lahko imetnik pravice s tožbo pri pristojnem sodišču zahteva:
a) da se prepovejo kršenje in bodoče kršitve;
b) da se odpokličejo predmeti kršitve iz gospodarskih tokov z upoštevanjem interesov dobrovernih tretjih oseb;
c) da se odstrani stanje, ki je nastalo s kršitvijo;
č) da se nepreklicno odstranijo predmeti kršitve iz gospodarskih tokov;
d) da se uničijo predmeti kršitve;
e) da se uničijo sredstva kršitve, ki so izključno ali pretežno namenjena ali se uporabijo za kršitev in so v lasti kršilca;
f) da se tožniku prepustijo predmeti kršitve proti plačilu proizvodnih stroškov;
g) da se sodba objavi.
(2) Pri odločanju o odstranitvenih zahtevkih iz točk b) do f) prejšnjega odstavka sodišče upošteva vse okoliščine primera, zlasti sorazmernost med težo kršitve in zahtevkom ter interes imetnika pravice za zagotovitev učinkovitega varstva pravic.
(3) V postopku proti osebi, katere storitve so bile uporabljene za kršitev pravice, obstoj te kršitve pa je že pravnomočno ugotovljen v postopku proti tretjemu, se domneva, da je kršitev podana.

121.a člen

(povrnitev škode)

(1) Za kršitve po tem zakonu veljajo splošna pravila o povzročitvi škode, če ni s tem zakonom drugače določeno.
(2) Kršilec je dolžan plačati imetniku pravice odškodnino v obsegu, ki se določi po splošnih pravilih o povrnitvi škode ali v obsegu, ki je enak dogovorjeni ali običajni licenčnini.

122. člen

(dodatne določbe zaradi kršitve patenta)

(1) Če je predmet kršitve patent, s katerim je zavarovan postopek za izdelavo nove snovi, se šteje, da je vsaka snov enake sestave ali enaka in izdelana po zavarovanem postopku, dokler se ne dokaže nasprotno. Dokazno breme nosi toženec oziroma domnevni kršilec, pri čemer je treba upoštevati njegov zakoniti interes za varovanje poslovne tajnosti.
(2) Če se tožba po 121. členu tega zakona nanaša na kršitev patenta ali objavljene evropske patentne prijave, s katero se zahteva varstvo v Republiki Sloveniji, sodišče prekine postopek, dokler Urad ne izda ugotovitvene odločbe po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona oziroma do dneva vpisa evropskega patenta v register patentov pri Uradu.
(3) Če je predmet kršitve patent, za katerega še ni bila izdana ugotovitvena odločba po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona, določi sodišče za čas uporabe izuma od podelitve patenta do izdaje ugotovitvene odločbe, kršilcu plačilo odškodnine, znižane glede na okoliščine.
(4) Prejšnji odstavek se smiselno uporablja za objavljeno patentno prijavo, vloženo v tujini po drugem odstavku 3. člena tega zakona, za čas uporabe izuma od objave te prijave do podelitve patenta oziroma do dneva, ko je EPU objavil sklep o podelitvi evropskega patenta, če je bil evropski patent vpisan v register pri Uradu.

122.a člen

(predložitev dokazov)

(1) Če je sodišče odločilo, da bo izvedlo predlagani dokaz, predlagana dokazna sredstva pa so pri nasprotni stranki, mora nasprotna stranka na zahtevo sodišča predložiti dokazna sredstva, s katerimi razpolaga.
(2) Prejšnji odstavek velja tudi glede bančnih, finančnih in poslovnih listin, ki so pod nadzorom nasprotne stranke, če gre za kršitev v gospodarskem obsegu. Šteje se, da je bilo dejanje storjeno v gospodarskem obsegu, če se izvaja za neposredno ali posredno gospodarsko korist.
(3) V postopku predložitve dokazov se uporabljajo določbe zakona, ki ureja pravdni postopek, če ni s tem zakonom drugače določeno.
(4) Sodišče mora po izvedbi dokaza iz prvega odstavka tega člena zagotoviti varstvo zaupnih podatkov pravdnih strank ter zagotoviti, da se sodni postopki ne uporabljajo v slabi veri z izključnim namenom pridobiti zaupne podatke nasprotne stranke.

123. člen

(začasne odredbe)

(1) Sodišče izda začasno odredbo v zavarovanje nedenarnih zahtevkov po tem zakonu, če predlagatelj izkaže za verjetno:
a) da je imetnik pravice iz 18., 37., 47. ali 58. člena tega zakona in
b) da je bila njegova pravica kršena, ali grozi dejanska nevarnost, da bo kršena.
(2) Predlagatelj mora za verjetno izkazati tudi eno izmed naslednjih predpostavk:
a) nevarnost, da bo uveljavitev zahtevkov onemogočena ali precej otežena;
b) da je odredba potrebna, da se prepreči nastanek težko nadomestljive škode ali
c) da domnevni kršilec z izdajo začasne odredbe, če bi se tekom postopka izkazala za neutemeljeno, ne bi utrpel hujših neugodnih posledic od tistih, ki bi brez izdaje začasne
odredbe nastale imetniku pravice.
(3) Predlagatelj, ki zahteva izdajo začasne odredbe brez poprejšnjega obvestila in zaslišanja nasprotne stranke, mora poleg pogojev iz prvega in drugega odstavka tega člena, izkazati za verjetno, da bi kakršnokoli odlašanje z izdajo začasne odredbe povzročilo imetniku pravice nastanek težko nadomestljive škode. V tem primeru se nasprotno stranko obvesti najpozneje takoj po izvršitvi odredb.
(4) Imetnik pravice ni dolžan dokazovati nevarnosti, da bo uveljavitev zahtevkov onemogočena ali precej otežena, če izkaže za verjetno, da bi kršilec s predlagano odredbo pretrpel le neznatno škodo. Šteje se, da je nevarnost podana, če naj bi bili zahtevki uveljavljeni v tujini, razen v primeru, če naj bi se terjatev uveljavljala v državi članici Evropske unije.
(5) Sodišče sme za zavarovanje nedenarnih zahtevkov po prvem odstavku tega člena izdati vsako začasno odredbo, s katero je mogoče doseči namen zavarovanja, zlasti:
a) da se domnevnemu kršilcu prepove domnevno kršenje in bodoče kršitve;
b) da se zasežejo, izključijo iz prometa in shranijo predmeti kršitve ter sredstva kršitve, ki so izključno ali pretežno namenjena ali se uporabijo za kršitev.
(6) Sodišče mora odločiti o ugovoru zoper sklep o začasni odredbi v 30 dneh od dneva vložitve odgovora na ugovor oziroma od poteka roka za vložitev odgovora na ugovor.
(7) V postopku za izdajo začasne odredbe se uporabljajo določbe zakona, ki ureja izvršbo in zavarovanje, če ni s tem zakonom določeno drugače. Postopek je nujen.

123.a člen

(izdaja začasne odredbe pri kršitvi patenta)

Če se predlog za izdajo začasne odredbe po prejšnjem členu nanaša na kršitev patenta, izda sodišče začasno odredbo, če sta izpolnjena tudi naslednja pogoja:
a) da imetnik pravice predloži ugotovitveno odločbo po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona in
b) da imetnik pravice predlaga izdajo začasne odredbe v treh mesecih od takrat, ko je izvedel za domnevno kršitev.

124. člen

(zavarovanje dokazov)

(1) Sodišče izda sklep za zavarovanje dokazov, če predlagatelj predloži razumno dosegljive dokaze o tem, da:
a) je imetnik pravice iz 18., 37., 47. ali 58. člena tega zakona,
b) je bila kršena, ali grozi dejanska nevarnost, da bo kršena njegova pravica in c) bodo dokazi o kršitvi uničeni ali jih kasneje ne bi bilo mogoče izvesti.
(2) Predlagatelj, ki zahteva izdajo sklepa za zavarovanje dokazov brez poprejšnjega obvestila in zaslišanja nasprotne stranke, mora poleg pogojev iz prvega odstavka izkazati za verjetno, da obstaja nevarnost, da bodo dokazi o kršitvi zaradi ravnanja nasprotne stranke uničeni ali jih kasneje ne bi bilo mogoče izvesti. V tem primeru se nasprotno stranko obvesti najpozneje takoj po izvršitvi sklepa.
(3) Sodišče sme s sklepom iz prvega odstavka tega člena odrediti izvedbo kateregakoli dokaza, zlasti:
a) ogled prostorov, poslovne dokumentacije, inventarja, baz podatkov, računalniških pomnilnih enot ali drugih stvari;
b) zaseg vzorcev predmetov kršitve;
c) pregled in izročitev listin;
d) določitev in zaslišanje izvedencev in e) zaslišanje prič.
(4) Zavarovanje dokazov je dovoljeno zahtevati tudi potem, ko postane odločba, s katero je postopek končan, pravnomočna, če je to potrebno pred postopkom ali med postopkom z izrednimi pravnimi sredstvi.
(5) V postopku zavarovanja dokazov po tem členu se smiselno uporabljajo določbe zakona, ki ureja izvršbo in zavarovanje, o začasnih odredbah, razen če ni s tem zakonom drugače določeno. Postopek je nujen.
(6) Če se kasneje izkaže, da je predlog neutemeljen ali da ga predlagatelj ni upravičil, ima nasprotna stranka pravico zahtevati:
a) vrnitev odvzetih predmetov;
b) prepoved uporabe pridobljenih informacij in c) povračilo škode.
(7) Sodišče mora v postopku zavarovanja dokazov po tem členu zagotoviti varstvo zaupnih podatkov strank ter zagotoviti, da se sodni postopki ne uporabljajo v slabi veri z izključnim namenom pridobiti zaupne podatke nasprotne stranke.

124.a člen

(zavarovanje dokazov pri kršitvi patenta)

Če se predlog za izdajo sklepa iz prejšnjega člena nanaša na kršitev patenta, izda sodišče sklep, če sta izpolnjena tudi naslednja pogoja:
a) da imetnik pravice predloži ugotovitveno odločbo po točki a) ali b) prvega odstavka 93. člena tega zakona in
b) da imetnik pravice predlaga izdajo sklepa o zavarovanju dokazov v treh mesecih od takrat, ko je izvedel za domnevno kršitev.

124.b člen

(dolžnost obveščanja)

(1) Sodišče lahko v pravdi zaradi kršitve pravic na podlagi upravičene zahteve stranke naloži kršilcu, da sporoči podatke o izvoru in distribucijskih tokovih blaga ali storitev, ki kršijo pravico iz tega zakona.
(2) Sodišče lahko naloži, da podatke iz prejšnjega odstavka sporočijo tudi naslednje osebe, ki v gospodarskem obsegu:
a) posedujejo blago, s katerim se krši pravica,
b) uporabljajo storitve, s katerimi se krši pravica ali
c) zagotavljajo storitve, uporabljene v dejavnosti, s katero se krši pravica.
(3) Sodišče lahko naloži, da podatke iz prvega odstavka tega člena sporoči tudi oseba, za katero je katera od oseb iz prejšnjega odstavka navedla, da je bila vpletena v proizvodnjo, izdelavo ali distribucijo blaga ali opravljanja storitev.
(4) Podatki iz prvega odstavka tega člena lahko vključujejo:
a) imena in naslove oziroma firme in sedeže proizvajalcev, izdelovalcev, distributerjev, dobaviteljev in drugih prejšnjih imetnikov blaga ali ponudnikov storitev ter predvidenih trgovcev na debelo in na drobno in
b) podatke o proizvedenih, izdelanih, dostavljenih, prejetih ali naročenih količinah in cenah, doseženih za blago ali storitve.

124.c člen

(varstvo drugih pravic industrijske lastnine)

pravico.
Določbe tega oddelka se smiselno uporabljajo tudi za firmo in žlahtniteljsko
Deseto poglavje
PRISILNA LICENCA

125. člen

(prisilna licenca)

(1) Sodišče lahko odloči, da se tudi brez soglasja imetnika patenta dovoli tretji osebi ali Vladi Republike Slovenije izkoriščanje izuma:
a) če to zahteva javni interes, zlasti v zvezi z državno varnostjo, prehrano, zdravstvom ali razvojem drugih pomembnih delov državnega gospodarstva, ali
b) če sodišče ugotovi, da imetnik patenta ali imetnik licence zlorablja pravice iz patenta, zlasti tako da izkorišča izum tako, da v nasprotju z veljavnimi predpisi omejuje
konkurenco.
(2) Sodišče podeli prisilno licenco po prejšnjem odstavku ob upoštevanju dejanskih okoliščin in po zaslišanju imetnika patenta.
(3) Prisilna licenca po prvem odstavku tega člena se podeli, če vložnik zahteve za pridobitev prisilne licence dokaže, da si je prizadeval skleniti licenčno pogodbo z imetnikom patenta pod razumnimi poslovnimi pogoji in da ta prizadevanja v razumnem obdobju niso bila uspešna.
(4) Prejšnji odstavek se ne uporablja, če je razglašeno vojno stanje ali izredne razmere, pod pogojem, da sodišče v takem primeru seznani imetnika patenta s svojo odločbo, kolikor je to mogoče hitro.

126. člen

(pogoji za podelitev prisilne licence)

(1) Prisilna licenca po prejšnjem členu se podeli, pod naslednjimi pogoji:
a) da sta obseg in trajanje licence omejena glede na njen namen;
b) da ni izključna;
c) da ni prenosljiva, z izjemo prenosa dela poslovne dejavnosti prejemnika prisilne licence, na katero se predmet prisilne licence nanaša;
d) da je namenjena pretežno oskrbovanju trga Republike Slovenije.
(2) Če kakšnega patenta (v nadaljnjem besedilu: drugi patent) ni mogoče izkoriščati, ne da bi se poseglo v neki drug patent (v nadaljnjem besedilu: prvi patent), morajo biti za podelitev prisilne licence takšnega patenta poleg pogojev iz 125. člena tega zakona in prejšnjega odstavka izpolnjeni še naslednji dodatni pogoji:
a) izum, ki je predmet drugega patenta, vsebuje tehnični napredek znatnega gospodarskega pomena glede na izum, ki je predmet prvega patenta;
b) imetnik prvega patenta je pod razumnimi pogoji upravičen do obratne licence za uporabo
izuma, ki je predmet drugega patenta;
c) dovoljena uporaba v zvezi s prvim patentom ni prenosljiva brez sočasnega prenosa drugega patenta.
(3) Sodišče odloči, da prisilna licenca preneha veljati, če prenehajo okoliščine, zaradi katerih je bila podeljena, in če je verjetno, da se te okoliščine ne bodo ponovile.

127. člen

(nadomestilo za prisilno licenco)

(1) Imetnik patenta, ki je predmet prisilne licence, je upravičen do obveznega nadomestila.
(2) Višina nadomestila se določi glede na okoliščine posameznega primera ob upoštevanju ekonomske vrednosti prisilne licence.
Enajsto poglavje
ZASTOPANJE

128. člen

(zastopanje pred Uradom)

(1) Za zastopanje pred Uradom se lahko pooblasti le zastopnika, ki je vpisan v ustrezni register zastopnikov pri Uradu. Zastopnika imenuje pooblastitelj s pisnim pooblastilom.
(2) Pooblastitelj lahko pooblasti enega ali več zastopnikov za vsa ali le za določena dejanja v postopku pred Uradom. Če pooblasti več zastopnikov in pri tem ne navede, kateremu zastopniku naj Urad vroča pisanja, vroča Urad vse dopise zastopniku, ki je naveden prvi.
(3) Pooblastitelj lahko z enim pooblastilom pooblasti zastopnika za zastopanje pri vseh njegovih prijavah, pravicah ali vlogah, vloženih pri Uradu (v nadaljnjem besedilu: generalno pooblastilo zastopniku). Če je generalno pooblastilo zastopniku deponirano pri Uradu, se ob vložitvi vloge Uradu navede številka deponiranega generalnega pooblastila in predloži njegova kopija.
(4) Pooblastilo se predloži ob vložitvi vloge ali v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva Urada. Če pooblastilo ni pravočasno predloženo, se šteje, da zastopnik ni bil imenovan in da njegova dejanja niso bila opravljena. Vlogo, ki jo je vložil domnevni zastopnik, Urad s sklepom zavrže. Sklep o zavrženju se vroči domnevnemu zastopniku.

129. člen

(zastopanje tujih oseb)

(1) Tuje pravne in fizične osebe, ki nimajo prebivališča ali dejanskega in resnega industrijskega ali gospodarskega podjetja v Republiki Sloveniji (v nadaljnjem besedilu: tuja oseba), morajo uveljavljati pravice iz tega zakona v postopkih pred Uradom po zastopniku, razen če je drugače določeno z mednarodno pogodbo, ki obvezuje Republiko Slovenijo.
(2) Ne glede na prejšnji odstavek lahko tuja oseba ob upoštevanju tretjega odstavka tega člena brez zastopnika vloži prijavo in opravlja dejanja v zvezi z določitvijo datuma vložitve prijave, plača takso ali pristojbino v postopku pred Uradom, vloži prepis prve prijave za uveljavljanje prednostne pravice po 61. členu tega zakona in sprejema pisanja Urada v zvezi s temi postopki.
(3) Če tuja oseba v primerih iz prejšnjega odstavka nima zastopnika v postopku pred Uradom, mora Uradu sporočiti naslov za obveščanje, ki mora biti na območju Republike Slovenije. Šteje se, da je Urad v primerih iz prejšnjega odstavka pravilno obvestil tujo osebo, če ji je poslal pisanje na naslov za obveščanje.
(4) Ne glede na prvi odstavek tega člena lahko kdorkoli plača pristojbine za vzdrževanje pravice.
(5) Če tuja oseba v nasprotju s tem členom v postopku pred Uradom ne imenuje zastopnika ali ne sporoči naslova za obveščanje, ki je na območju Republike Slovenije, jo Urad izjemoma neposredno po pošti pozove, naj v treh mesecih od vročitve poziva imenuje zastopnika in predloži pooblastilo zastopniku oziroma v skladu s tretjim odstavkom tega člena sporoči naslov za obveščanje. Če tuja oseba pravočasno ne imenuje zastopnika in ne predloži pooblastila, oziroma ne sporoči pravočasno naslova za obveščanje v skladu s tretjim odstavkom tega člena, Urad s sklepom vlogo zavrže, razen če ta zakon določa drugače. Vročitev sklepa se opravi po oglasni deski Urada.

130. člen

(preklic in odpoved pooblastila)

(1) Pooblastitelj lahko kadarkoli prekliče pooblastilo, zastopnik pa ga lahko kadarkoli odpove.
(2) Preklic oziroma odpoved pooblastila se sporoči Uradu in učinkuje od dneva, ko ga Urad prejme. Po odpovedi pooblastila je zastopnik dolžan še tri mesece opravljati dejanja za pooblastitelja, razen če ima pooblastitelj še kakšnega zastopnika.
(3) Če tuja oseba zaradi odpovedi ali preklica pooblastila nima več zastopnika, se smiselno uporablja peti odstavek 129. člena tega zakona.

131. člen

(zastopnik)

(1) V postopkih pred Uradom lahko stranke zastopajo patentni zastopniki in zastopniki za modele in znamke. Patentni zastopniki zastopajo stranke v postopkih, ki se nanašajo na pridobitev, vzdrževanje in druge zahteve v zvezi s katero koli pravico po tem zakonu. Zastopniki za modele in znamke lahko zastopajo stranke le v tistih postopkih, ki se nanašajo na pridobitev, vzdrževanje in druge zahteve v zvezi z modeli, znamkami in geografskimi označbami.
(2) Patentni zastopnik je lahko:
a) oseba z univerzitetno izobrazbo tehnične ali naravoslovne smeri, ki je opravila strokovni izpit za patentnega zastopnika pri Uradu;
b) odvetnik ali odvetniška družba, ki zaposluje osebo, ki izpolnjuje pogoje iz prejšnje točke, ali ima z njo sklenjeno pogodbo;
c) pravna oseba, ki zaposluje vsaj eno osebo, ki izpolnjuje pogoje iz točke a) tega odstavka.
(3) Zastopnik za modele in znamke je lahko:
a) oseba z univerzitetno izobrazbo, ki je opravila strokovni izpit za zastopnika za modele in znamke pri Uradu;
b) odvetnik ali odvetniška družba;
c) pravna oseba, ki zaposluje vsaj eno osebo, ki izpolnjuje pogoje iz točke a) tega odstavka.
(4) Patentni zastopniki, zastopniki za modele in znamke ter pooblaščeni delavci zastopnika lahko v postopkih, ki se nanašajo na pravice po tem zakonu, zastopajo stranke tudi pred sodišči in drugimi državnimi organi, če izpolnjujejo pogoje, določene s predpisi, ki urejajo zastopanje pred sodišči in drugimi državnimi organi. V takih primerih je zastopnik upravičen do plačila za svoje delo in do povračila stroškov v zvezi z opravljenim delom po zastopniški tarifi. Zastopniško tarifo sprejme zastopnik ali združenje zastopnikov v soglasju z ministrom, pristojnim za pravosodje.

132. člen

(vpis zastopnikov v register)

znamke.
(1) Urad vodi register patentnih zastopnikov in register zastopnikov za modele in
(2) Za vpis v ustrezni register zastopnikov se plača taksa po zakonu, ki ureja upravne takse. Po plačilu takse Urad z odločbo odloči o vpisu v register.
(3) Patentni zastopnik lahko zahteva izbris iz registra patentnih zastopnikov in vpis v register zastopnikov za modele in znamke. Zastopnik za modele in znamke lahko zahteva izbris iz registra zastopnikov za modele in znamke in vpis v register patentnih zastopnikov, le če izpolnjuje pogoje iz drugega odstavka 131. člena tega zakona.
(4) Zastopnik se izbriše iz registra:
a) če vloži zahtevo za izbris;
b) če se mu s pravnomočno sodbo prepove ukvarjanje z zastopanjem.
(5) V register patentnih zastopnikov in register zastopnikov za modele in znamke se vpišejo predvsem naslednji podatki: registrska številka zastopnika, podatki o zastopniku (priimek, ime in naslov oziroma firma in sedež), datum vpisa v register, podatke o osebah, ki
izpolnjujejo pogoje iz točke a) drugega odstavka oziroma točke a) tretjega odstavka 131. člena tega zakona in so zaposlene pri zastopniku oziroma imajo z njim sklenjeno pogodbo (priimek, ime, naslov in izobrazba).
(6) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi vsebino zahteve za vpis zastopnikov v register, postopek vpisa v register, vrsto podatkov, ki se vpišejo v register, in postopek vpisa sprememb v register zastopnikov.

133. člen

(strokovni izpit)

(1) Strokovni izpit iz drugega ali tretjega odstavka 131. člena tega zakona se opravlja pri Uradu. Pred opravljanjem strokovnega izpita se plača taksa po zakonu, ki ureja upravne takse.
(2) Urad vodi seznam oseb z opravljenim strokovnim izpitom.
(3) Minister, pristojen za področje industrijske lastnine, s podzakonskim predpisom natančneje določi način opravljanja strokovnega izpita iz drugega in tretjega odstavka 131. člena tega zakona.
Dvanajsto poglavje
KAZENSKE DOLOČBE

134. člen

(prekršek)

(1) Z denarno kaznijo od 100.000 do 10,000.000 tolarjev se kaznuje za prekršek pravna oseba:
a) ki brez soglasja Vlade Republike Slovenije v gospodarskem prometu uporablja znake iz tretjega odstavka 43. člena tega zakona;
b) ki Uradu predloži ponarejeno ali neresnično dokazilo po 92. členu tega zakona ali ki s ponarejenim ali neresničnim obvestilom zahteva prekinitev postopka po tretjem odstavku
92. člena tega zakona;
c) ki zastopa tretjo osebo v postopku pred Uradom, ne da bi bila vpisana v register iz 132. člena tega zakona.
(2) Z denarno kaznijo od 10.000 do 500.000 tolarjev se kaznuje tudi odgovorna oseba v pravni osebi, ki stori prekršek iz prejšnjega odstavka.
(3) Z denarno kaznijo do 150.000 tolarjev se kaznuje za prekršek fizična oseba, ki stori prekršek iz prvega odstavka tega člena.

Zakon o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1 (Uradni list RS, št. 45/01) vsebuje naslednje prehodne in končne določbe:

»Trinajsto poglavje
PREHODNE IN KONČNE DOLOČBE
135. člen
(uporaba snovi kot zdravilo)
(1) Uporaba snovi kot zdravila za ljudi in živali ne pomeni kršitve patenta za izum te snovi, če je bila patentna prijava za ta izum vložena do vključno 31. decembra 1992 oziroma je bila za takšno prijavo zahtevana prednostna pravica do vključno 31. decembra
1992.
(2) Z uporabo snovi kot zdravila po prejšnjem odstavku je mišljena izdelava in njena predelava v zdravilo po postopku, ki ni predmet zadevnega patentnega varstva ter dajanje te snovi oziroma zdravila v promet.
(3) Z dnem pristopa Republike Slovenije k Evropski uniji velja za zdravilo ali snov po prvem odstavku tega člena drugi odstavek 21. člena tega zakona samo, če je pridobljeno soglasje imetnika patenta, s katerim je zavarovano to zdravilo ali snov.
136. člen
(obravnava prijav in veljavnost pravic)
(1) Postopek priznanja ali podelitve pravice industrijske lastnine v zvezi s prijavo, vloženo pred uveljavitvijo tega zakona, se nadaljuje po določbah tega zakona, razen če ta zakon določa drugače.
(2) Pravice industrijske lastnine, veljavne na dan uveljavitve tega zakona, veljajo naprej po določbah tega zakona, razen če ta zakon določa drugače.
137. člen
(patentne prijave in patenti)
(1) Pri patentnih prijavah, vloženih pred uveljavitvijo tega zakona, in pri patentih, podeljenih pred uveljavitvijo tega zakona, se še naprej uporabljajo določbe 10., 77., 78. in
112. člena zakona o industrijski lastnini (Uradni list RS, št. 13/92, 27/93, 34/97 – odločba US,
75/97).
(2) Določbi drugega in tretjega odstavka 22. člena tega zakona se uporabljata za patente, ki so bili prijavljeni po 1. januarju 1993.
(3) Z dnem pristopa Republike Slovenije k Evropski uniji se tretji odstavek 22. člena tega zakona izvaja v skladu s predpisi Evropske unije.
(4) Za patente, ki so bili prijavljeni po 1. 1. 1993 in za katere je potekel rok iz 7. člena uredbe EU št. 1768/92 z dne 18. 6. 1992 ali 7. člena uredbe EU št. 1610/96 z dne 23.
6. 1996, je mogoče v šestih mesecih od dneva pristopa Republike Slovenije k Evropski uniji zahtevati dodatni varstveni certifikat.
(5) Določbe 24. do vključno 31. člena tega zakona se začnejo uporabljati z dnem uveljavitve EPK v Republiki Sloveniji.
(6) Določba petega odstavka 32. člena tega zakona ne velja za prijave na podlagi
PCT, ki so bile vložene do dneva uveljavitve tega zakona.
138. člen
(prijave modela oziroma vzorca in modeli oziroma vzorci)
(1) Pri prijavah modela oziroma vzorca, ki so bile objavljene pred uveljavitvijo tega zakona in pri katerih je bil vložen ugovor zoper izdajo odločbe o priznanju modela oziroma vzorca, se še naprej uporablja 58. člen zakona o industrijski lastnini.
(2) Če je bila prijava modela oziroma vzorca objavljena pred uveljavitvijo tega zakona, pa zoper izdajo odločbe o priznanju modela oziroma vzorca ni bil vložen ugovor po
58. členu zakona o industrijski lastnini, izda Urad odločbo o registraciji modela, vpiše model v
register in objavi registracijo modela.
(3) Modeli oziroma vzorci, veljavni na dan uveljavitve tega zakona, se obravnavajo kot modeli po tem zakonu.
139. člen
(ugovor na podlagi znamke pri Uradu za harmonizacijo notranjega trga za znamke in modele
Evropske unije)
(1) Do pristopa Republike Slovenije k Evropski uniji se kot prejšnja znamka po prvem odstavku 44. člena tega zakona šteje tudi znamka, ki je bila prijavljena ali registrirana pri Uradu za harmonizacijo notranjega trga za znamke in modele Evropske unije pred datumom vložitve prijave kasnejše znamke v Republiki Sloveniji.
(2) Imetnik prejšnje znamke po prejšnjem odstavku lahko vloži ugovor po 101. členu tega zakona, če v roku za ugovor vloži tudi pravilno prijavo za pridobitev varstva svoje znamke v Republiki Sloveniji.
(3) Če imetnik prejšnje znamke po prvem odstavku tega člena ob vložitvi ugovora po 101. členu tega zakona ne vloži pravočasno tudi pravilne prijave za pridobitev varstva svoje znamke v Republiki Sloveniji, se šteje, da ugovor ni bil vložen.
140. člen
(označbe porekla blaga)
Označbe porekla blaga, veljavne na dan uveljavitve tega zakona, se obravnavajo kot geografske označbe po tem zakonu, razen če drug zakon določa drugače.
141. člen
(strokovni izpiti in zastopniki)
(1) Strokovni izpiti, opravljeni ali priznani do dneva uveljavitve tega zakona, so izenačeni s strokovnim izpitom za patentne zastopnike in strokovnim izpitom za zastopnike za modele in znamke.
(2) Urad po uradni dolžnosti vpiše v register patentnih zastopnikov vse zastopnike, ki so bili na dan uveljavitve tega zakona vpisani v register zastopnikov pri Uradu.
142. člen
(podzakonski predpisi)
(1) Podzakonski predpisi po tem zakonu in odredba o ceniku iz tretjega odstavka
7. člena tega zakona se izdajo v šestih mesecih po uveljavitvi tega zakona, razen predpisa iz drugega odstavka 80. člena tega zakona, ki se izda, ko so pri Uradu vzpostavljene ustrezne
tehnične možnosti.
(2) Do izdaje novih predpisov se smiselno uporabljajo predpisi, izdani na podlagi zakona o industrijski lastnini:
a) pravilnik o postopku za podelitev patenta (Uradni list RS, št. 49/93);
b) pravilnik o postopku za priznanje modela oziroma vzorca (Uradni list RS, št. 49/93, 37/95
– odločba US);
c) pravilnik o postopku za priznanje znamke (Uradni list RS, št. 49/93);
d) pravilnik o postopku za mednarodno registracijo znamke (Uradni list RS, št. 15/93);
e) pravilnik o načinu opravljanja strokovnega izpita in vpisu v register zastopnikov (Uradni list RS, št. 20/92);
f) uredba o pristojbinah Urada Republike Slovenije za intelektualno lastnino za pridobitev
in varstvo pravic industrijske lastnine (Uradni list RS, št. 14/95);
g) uredba o cenah informacijskih in drugih storitev Urada Republike Slovenije za intelektualno lastnino (Uradni list RS, št. 57/96).
143. člen
(prenehanje veljavnosti)
(1) Z dnem, ko začne veljati ta zakon, preneha veljati:
a) zakon o industrijski lastnini;
b) pravilnik o prenosu pravic industrijske lastnine vloženih pri Zveznem zavodu za patente, na Urad Republike Slovenije za varstvo industrijske lastnine (Uradni list RS, št. 49/93).
(2) Ne glede na točko a) prejšnjega odstavka se ob upoštevanju prvega odstavka
137. in prvega odstavka 138. člena tega zakona še naprej uporabljajo določbe 10., 58., 77.,
78. in 112. člena zakona o industrijski lastnini.
144. člen
(začetek veljavnosti)
Ta zakon začne veljati šest mesecev po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike
Slovenije.«.

Zakon o spremembi zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1A (Uradni list RS, št. 96/02)

vsebuje naslednjo končno določbo:

»2. člen
Ta zakon začne veljati petnajsti dan po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike
Slovenije.«.

Zakon o spremembi zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1B (Uradni list RS, št. 37/04)

vsebuje naslednjo končno določbo:

»2. člen
Ta zakon začne veljati z dnem pristopa Republike Slovenije k Evropski uniji.«.

Zakon o spremembah in dopolnitvah Zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1C (Uradni list

RS, št. 20/06) vsebuje naslednjo prehodno in končno določbo:

»PREHODNA IN KONČNA DOLOČBA
23. člen
(postopki v teku)
Postopki, ki ob uveljavitvi tega zakona tečejo na podlagi devetega poglavja zakona, se končajo po do sedaj veljavnih določbah zakona.
24. člen
(začetek veljavnosti)
Ta zakon začne veljati petnajsti dan po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike
Slovenije.«.

Zakon o spremembi Zakona o industrijski lastnini – ZIL-1D (Uradni list RS, št. 100/13)

vsebuje naslednjo končno določbo:

»2. člen
Ta zakon začne veljati petnajsti dan po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike
Slovenije.«.

Industrial Property Act (ZIL-1-UPB3) (as amended up to March 11, 2006)

1INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY ACT

of23 May 2001

as last amended on 6 February 2006 (as in force from 11 March 2006)

Chapter I

BASIC PRINCIPLES

Article 1

Scope of the Act

(1) This Act defines the types of industrial property rights under this Act and proceedings for the grant and registration of these rights, judicial protection of rights and representation of parties in the proceedings under this Act.
(2) Industrial property rights under this Act shall be patents, supplementary protection certificates, industrial designs, marks and geographical indications.
(3) This Act integrates into the legal system of the Republic of Slovenia the provisions of the Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions (OJ L 213, 30
July 1998 p. 13), Directive 98/71/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 on the legal protection of designs (OJ L 289, 28 October 1998, p.
28), First Council Directive 89/104/EEC of 21 December 1988 to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (OJ L 40, 11 February 1989, p. 1) and Directive 2004/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April
2004 on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (OJ L 195, 2 June 2004, p. 16).

Article 2

National treatment

(1) Legal and natural persons that are foreign nationals shall enjoy, in respect of the protection of industrial property rights in the Republic of Slovenia, the same rights as domestic legal or natural persons, or other domestic nationals, in conformity with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights of 15 April 1994 (Official Gazette RS - MP, No 10/95), hereinafter referred to as "the TRIPS Agreement", or the application of the principle of reciprocity.

(2) The party invoking reciprocity shall be required to prove the existence of reciprocity.

Article 3

Applications for the acquisition of industrial property rights

(1) Subject to Article 17, the acquisition of an industrial property right in the Republic of Slovenia shall be requested by filing a national application with the Slovenian

1 Published in the Official Gazette RS Nos 45/01, 96/02, 37/04, 20/06 and 51/06. Unofficial translation.

Intellectual Property Office, hereinafter referred to as "the Office", in accordance with this Act.
(2) The acquisition of industrial property rights in the Republic of Slovenia may also be requested on the basis of applications filed abroad, if this is in conformity with an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia. The legal effect of the rights conferred by such applications shall be the same as that of the rights conferred by national applications, unless otherwise provided by a respective international treaty.
(3) A national application shall not give rise to an industrial property right if a prior application has been filed, by the same person, under paragraph (2), for the acquisition of the same right.
(4) The acquisition of industrial property rights abroad may also be requested on the basis of applications filed with the Office, if this is in conformity with an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 4

Priority of the earlier application

Where two or more applicants file applications to acquire protection for the same invention, design or sign in the Republic of Slovenia, the applicant who has the earliest date of filing or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority, shall have priority over the other applicant.

Article 5

The Office

(1) The main tasks of the Office shall be:
(a) to receive applications by which the acquisition of industrial property rights is requested;

(b) to carry out autonomously proceedings relating to the grant of patents and registration of industrial designs, marks and geographical indications, and to grant patents and register industrial designs, marks and geographical indications;

(c) to keep the registers of industrial property rights and other registers under this Act; (d) to provide information services relating to industrial property rights;
(e) to represent the Republic of Slovenia, in conformity with the position, instructions and authorisation by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, in foreign and international organisations in the field of industrial property;

(f) to perform other tasks which fall within its competence.

(2) The Office shall publish its Official Journal containing data on applications and industrial property rights.
(3) The Office shall be autonomous with respect to finances relating to payment of fees under this Act and payments for services supplied under Article 7, and shall verify those payments.
(4) The Office shall be managed by the Director who shall be responsible for its operation and shall be appointed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
Article 6
Decisions of the Office
(1) In proceedings for the grant or registration of industrial property rights and maintenance thereof, and in proceedings concerning the keeping of registers of rights and other registers, the Office shall issue decisions, orders and other acts pursuant to this Act. In the absence of corresponding provisions in this Act, the Act regulating general administrative procedure shall apply.
(2) Proceedings relating to applications under Article 3(2) or (4) shall be conducted by the Office in conformity with international treaties which are binding on the Republic of Slovenia and implementing rules and instructions relating thereto. In the absence of corresponding provisions in the relevant international treaty, the provisions of this Act shall apply mutatis mutandis.
Article 7
Information to the public
(1) Subject to Article 8, the Office shall make possible for any person to inspect files relating to applications, and to have access to data relating to applications and rights granted or registered.
(2) Against payment, the Office shall supply information on the state of the art comprised in patent documents, and other services in the field of information and documentation.
(3) The Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall issue an order on the tariff fixing the kinds and the amount of payments under paragraph (2).
Article 8
Secrecy and inspection of applications

(1) The files relating to patent and industrial design applications shall be official secrecy until the publication of the patent application in the Official Journal or the registration of the industrial design.

(2) The files which are official secrecy shall be made available for inspection only with the consent of the applicant.
(3) Any person who can prove that, in relation to his acts, the applicant informed him in writing about his application and the scope of requested protection may obtain inspection of the files which are official secrecy without the consent of the applicant.
(4) Where a patent application relating to a deposited biological material has been refused or withdrawn, the deposited biological material shall only be available to an independent expert for twenty years from the date of filing of the application, if so requested by the applicant.
(5) Even prior to the publication of the patent application in the Official Journal, the
Office may publish the following data or communicate them to third parties: (a) the number of the application;
(b) the date of filing of the application and, where the priority is claimed, the date, State or Office and file number of the previous application;
(c) data concerning the applicant (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat); (d) the title of the invention.

Article 9

Fees

(1) For the acquisition and maintenance of rights under this Act, fees shall be paid in time limits laid down by this Act. The amounts of fees shall be fixed by a decree issued by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

(2) In proceedings in which fees under paragraph (1) shall be paid, the fees under the
Act regulating administrative fees shall not be payable.
(3) If procedural fees are not paid in due time, or are not paid in full, they are deemed to be unpaid and the request to be withdrawn, unless otherwise provided by this Act. Upon request, the Office shall refund the amount which has been paid.

Chapter II PATENTS

Section I

Patents and short-term patents

Article 10

Subject-matter of patent protection

(1) Patents shall be granted for any inventions, in all fields of technology, which are new, involve an inventive step and are susceptible of industrial application.
(2) Detailed conditions for the grant of patents in respect of individual fields of technology with certain technical or technological characteristics shall be defmed by a decree issued by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

Article 11

Exceptions to patent protection

(1) Discoveries, scientific theories, mathematical methods, and other rules, schemes, methods and processes for performing mental acts as such shall not be considered inventions within the meaning of Article 10.

(2) A patent shall not be granted for:

(a) inventions, the exploitation of which would be contrary to public order or morality;

(b) inventions of surgical or diagnostic methods or methods of treatment practised directly on the living human or animal body, with the exception of inventions relating to products, in particular substances or compositions for use in any of these methods.

Article 12

Novelty

(1) An invention shall be considered to be new if it does not form part of the state of the art.

(2) The state of the art shall be held to comprise everything made available to the public by means of an oral or written description, by use, or in any other way, before the date of filing of the patent application. The right of priority shall have the effect that the date of priority shall count as the date of filing for the purposes of this Article.

(3) The contents of the following applications, which have been filed before the date referred to in paragraph (2) and which were published on or after that date, shall also be considered as comprised in the state of the art:

(a) national patent applications, as originally filed with the Office;

(b) European patent applications, as originally filed with the European Patent Office, hereinafter referred to as "the EPO", under the European Patent Convention of 5

October 1973, hereinafter referred to as "the EPC", requesting protection in the

Republic of Slovenia;

(c) international applications, as originally filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty of 19 June 1970, as amended on 2 October 1979 and modified on 3 February 1984 (Official Gazette RS - MP, No 19/93), hereinafter referred to as "the PCT", received by the Office as the elected Office in accordance with Article 39 of the PCT.

(4) The provisions of paragraphs (1) to (3) shall not exclude from patentability any substance or composition comprised in the state of the art where it is intended for use in a method of treatment referred to in Article 11(2)(b) and such use is not comprised in the state of the art.

Article 13

Non-prejudicial disclosures

(1) For the purpose of applying Article 12, a disclosure of the invention shall not be taken into consideration if it occurred no earlier than six months preceding the filing of the application and if it was due to, or in consequence of:

(a) an evident abuse in relation to the applicant or his legal predecessor, or

(b) the fact that the applicant or his legal predecessor has displayed the invention at an official, or officially recognised, international exhibition referred to in Article 62.

(2) The provision of paragraph (1)(b) shall apply only if the applicant states, when filing the application, that the invention has been so displayed and files a supporting certificate in conformity with Article 62(2).

Article 14

Inventive step

(1) An invention shall be considered as involving an inventive step if, having regard to the state of the art within the meaning of Article 12(2), it is not obvious to a person skilled in the art.
(2) If the state of the art also includes documents within the meaning of Article 12(3), these documents are not to be considered in deciding whether there has been an inventive step.
(3) Where an applicant, after having filed an application which has not yet been published, files another application for the same invention, the first application is not to be considered in deciding whether there has been an inventive step in the second application.

Article 15

Industrial application

An invention shall be considered as susceptible of industrial application if it can be made or used in any kind of industry, including agriculture.

Article 16

Subject-matter of short-term patent protection

(1) With the exception of processes, plant varieties and animal breeds, a short-term patent may be granted for inventions which are new, susceptible of industrial application and are the result of a creative effort.
(2) An invention shall be considered to be the result of a creative effort if it exhibits either particular effectiveness or a practical industrial advantage.
(3) The provisions of this Act relating to patents shall apply mutatis mutandis to short­
term patents, unless otherwise provided by this Act.

Article 17

Secret inventions

(1) Invention which are important for the defence or security of the Republic of Slovenia shall be deemed secret and shall be registered at the Ministry competent for the defence.

(2) The conditions of exploitation of secret inventions, in particular compensation for the exploitation, shall be subject to mutual agreement between the inventor and the Ministry competent for the defence.
(3) The application for the invention referred to in paragraph (1) may be filed with the Office if the Ministry competent for the defence does not wish to exploit it or if it consents to the filing of the patent application.

Article 18

Rights conferred by a patent

(1) A patent shall confer on its owner the following exclusive rights:
(a) where the subject-matter of a patent is a product, to prevent third parties not having the owner's consent from the acts of making, using, offering for sale, selling, or importing for these purposes that product;

(b) where the subject-matter of a patent is a process, to prevent third parties not having the owner's consent from the act of using the process, and from the acts of offering for sale, selling, or importing for these purposes the product obtained directly by that process.

(2) The scope of protection conferred by a patent shall be determined by the terms of the claims. Nevertheless, the description and drawings shall be used to interpret the claims.

Article 19

Limitation of rights conferred by a patent

The rights conferred by a patent within the meaning of Article 18 shall not extend to: (a) acts done privately and for non-commercial purposes;
(b) acts done for research and experimental purposes of any kind relating to the subject-matter of the patent irrespective of their final purpose;
(c) the extemporaneous preparation for individual cases in a pharmacy of a medicine in accordance with a medical prescription nor acts concerning the medicine so prepared;
(d) the use on board vessels of other countries of the patented invention, in the body of the vessel, in the machinery, tackle, gear and other accessories, when such vessels temporarily or accidentally enter the waters of the Republic of Slovenia, provided that the invention is used there exclusively for the needs of the vessel;
(e) the use of the patented invention in the construction or operation of aircraft or land vehicles of other countries, or of accessories to such aircraft or land vehicles, when those aircraft or land vehicles temporarily or accidentally enter the territory of the Republic of Slovenia;

(f) the acts specified in Article 27 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of

7 December 1944 (Official Gazette FLRJ-MP Nos 3/54, 5/54, 9/61, 5/62, 11/63,
49/71,62/73, 15/78, 2/80, Official Gazette RS-MP No 9/92), where these acts concern the aircraft of a State benefiting from the provisions of that Article.

Article 20

Right based on prior use

(1) The rights conferred on the owner of a patent by virtue of Article 18 shall have no legal effect vis-a-vis a person who was using the invention in the Republic of Slovenia in good faith before the date of filing or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority, or was making preparations for such use, and who continues such use. Such person retains the right to use the invention, but has no right to give licence or otherwise use the invention.
(2) The right of the person referred to in paragraph (1) to continue the use of the invention may only be transferred together with his enterprise or business in which the use or preparations for use have been made.

Article 21

Exhaustion of the rights conferred by a patent

(1) The rights conferred by a patent shall not extend to acts concerning a product covered by that patent which are done in the Republic of Slovenia after that product has been put on the market in the Republic of Slovenia by the owner of the patent or with his express consent, unless there are grounds which, under the law of the Republic of Slovenia, would justify the extension to such acts of the rights conferred by the patent.
(2) The exhaustion of the rights referred to in paragraph (1) may be extended beyond the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, if this is in conformity with an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 22

Term of a patent

(1) Subject to Article 91(3) and corresponding provisions of Article 109, the term of a patent shall be twenty years as from the date of filing of the application.
(2) Immediately on expiry, the term of a patent may be extended once in the case of a state of war or similar emergency conditions, for the duration of such state or conditions, but not for more than five years.

(3) Immediately on expiry of the term of the patent, a supplementary protection certificate may be granted once, in accordance with a decree issued by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, if the subject-matter of the patent is a product or a process of manufacturing a product or a use of a product which has to undergo an administrative authorisation procedure required by law before it can be put on the market, but not for more than five years.

Article 23

Term of a short-term patent

Subject to corresponding provisions of Article 109, the term of a short-term patent shall be ten years as from the date of filing of the application.

Section II

European patent applications and European patents

Article 24

Applicable law

(1) Patents granted by the EPO in accordance with the EPC, hereinafter referred as "European patents", and applications for a European patent filed in accordance with the EPC, hereinafter referred to as "European patent applications", requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia shall be governed by this Act, unless otherwise provided by the EPC.

(2) In case of conflict between the provisions of the EPC and those of this Act, the provisions of the EPC shall prevail in respect of European patent applications and European patents.

Article 25

Filing of European patent applications

(1) European patent applications, other than divisional applications, may be filed with the Office in any language accepted under Article 14(1) and (2) of the EPC.

(2) Article 17 shall apply to European patent applications relating to inventions that may affect the national security ofthe Republic of Slovenia.

Article 26

Effects of a European patent application

(1) A European patent application requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia which has been accorded a filing date shall be equivalent to a national application, where appropriate with the priority claimed for the European patent application, whatever its outcome may be.

(2) A published European patent application requesting protection in the Republic of

Slovenia shall confer the protection conferred under Article 122(4) as from the date

on which a translation of the claims of that application as published has been communicated by the applicant to the person using the invention in the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 27

Effects of a European patent

(1) A European patent requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia shall, subject to paragraphs (2) to (4), confer as from the date of the mention of its grant by the EPO the same rights as a patent granted by the Office under Article 18.

(2) The owner of the European patent shall furnish to the Office within three months after the mention of its grant a translation of the claims into the Slovene language and shall pay the prescribed fee for publication. ·

(3) Where, as a result of an opposition procedure before the EPO, the European patent is maintained as amended, paragraph (2) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(4) If the text of the claims contains reference signs used in drawings, those drawings shall be attached to the translation referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3). The text in the drawings, if any, shall also be translated into the Slovene language.

(5) The Office shall publish any translation filed in conformity with paragraphs (2), (3) or (4).

(6) Where the owner of the European patent complies with paragraph (2), the Office shall issue a decision on entry of the European patent in the Office's patent register.

(7) If the translation referred to in paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) is not filed, or the prescribed fee is not paid, in due time, the European patent requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia shall be deemed to be void.

Article 28

Authentic text of European patent applications or European patents

(1) Where a translation referred to in Articles 26 and 27 confers protection which is narrower than that conferred by a European patent application or European patent in the language of the proceedings, that translation shall be regarded as the authentic text, except for opposition proceedings before the EPO.

(2) The applicant for or owner of the European patent may file a corrected translation of claims at any time. The corrected translation shall take effect only after it has been published by the Office, or communicated to the person using the invention in the Republic of Slovenia by the applicant for or owner of the European patent.

(3) Any person who, in good faith, is using or has made effective and serious preparations for using an invention, the use of which would not constitute infringement of the application or patent in the original translation may, after the corrected translation takes effect, continue such use in the course of his business and for the needs thereof without payment.

Article 29

Fees for European patents

(1) Subject to Articles 109 and 110, renewal fees in respect of European patents requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia shall be paid to the Office for each year following that in which the order on the grant of the European patent is published. Where the renewal fee for the third year of the maintenance of a European patent has not been paid to the EPO, it shall be paid to the Office.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the first renewal fee in respect of a European patent shall fall due within two months after the order on the grant of the European patent is published.
(3) Pursuant to Article 39 of the EPC, the European Patent Organisation shall be remitted a proportion of fees paid under this Article.

Article 30

Conversion into a national patent application

(1) A European patent application requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia may be converted into a national patent application, where the European patent application is deemed to be withdrawn pursuant to Article 77(5) of the EPC or, because the translation of the application under Article 14(2) of the EPC has not been filed in due time, pursuant to Article 90(3) of the EPC.

(2) The applicant shall pay, within the prescribed time limit, the prescribed fee, and file a translation of the application into the Slovene language with the Office.

Article 31

Simultaneous protection

Where a European patent and a national patent having the same date of filing or, if priority is claimed, date of priority, have been granted to the same person, the national patent shall have no legal effect, to the extent that it covers the same invention as the European patent, as from the date on which the time limit for filing an opposition to the European patent has expired without an opposition having been filed, or as from the date on which the opposition procedure has resulted in a final decision maintaining the European patent.

Section III

PCT patent applications

Article32

Applications under the PCT

(1) The Office shall act as a receiving Office under the PCT.

(2) The Office shall accept international applications filed by nationals of the

Republic of Slovenia or persons having their residence or seat therein.

(3) International applications under the PCT shall be filed in English, French or German language. They may also be filed in the Slovene language if a translation in English, French or German language is submitted to the Office within the time limit prescribed in implementing rules and instructions under the PCT.

(4) The Office shall collect fees in respect of applications under this Article on behalf and for the account of the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

(5) The EPO shall act as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority in respect of international applications under the PCT filed with the Office.

(6) A designation or election of the Republic of Slovenia in an international application under Article 2(viii) of the PCT shall be considered as a request for the grant of a European patent having effect in the Republic of Slovenia under an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

Chapter Ill

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS

Section I Industrial designs

Article 33

Subject-matter of industrial design protection

(1) An industrial design shall be registered for a design to the extent that it is new and has an individual character.

(2) "Design" means the appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and/or materials of the product itself and/or its ornamentation.

(3) "Product" means any industrial or handicraft item, including, inter alia, parts intended to be assembled into a complex item, packaging, get-up, graphic symbols and typographic typefaces, but excluding computer programmes. "Complex product" means a product which is composed of multiple components which can be replaced permitting disassembly and reassembly of the product.

(4) A design applied to a component part of a complex product shall only be considered to be new and to have an individual character:

(a) if the component part, once it has been incorporated into the complex product, remains visible during normal use of the latter, and
(b) to the extent that those visible features of the component part fulfil in themselves the requirements as to novelty and individual character.
(5) "Normal use" within the meaning of paragraph (4)(a) shall mean use by the end user, excluding maintenance, servicing or repair work.

Article 34

Novelty and individual character

(I) A design shall be considered new if no identical design has been made available to the public before the date of filing of the industrial design application or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority. Designs shall be deemed to be identical if their features differ only in immaterial details.
(2) A design shall be considered to have individual character if the overall impression it produces on the informed user differs from the overall impression produced on such a user by any design which has been made available to the public before the date of filing of the application or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.
(3) In assessing individual character, the degree of freedom of the designer in developing the design shall be taken into consideration.

Article 35

Disclosure of a design

(I) For the purpose of applying Article 34, a design shall be deemed to have been made available to the public if it has been published following registration or otherwise, or exhibited, used in trade or otherwise disclosed, except where these events could not have become known in the normal course of business to the circles specialised in the sector concerned, operating within the European Community, before the date of filing of the application or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority. The design shall not, however, be deemed to have been available to the public for the sole reason that it has been disclosed to a third person under explicit or implicit conditions of confidentiality.

(2) For the purpose of applying Article 34, disclosure shall not be taken into consideration if a design for which protection is sought has been made available to the public in the European Community:
(a) by the designer, his successor in title, or a third person as a result of information provided or action taken by the designer, or his successor in title, and
(b) during the twelve month period preceding the date of filing of the application or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.
(3) Paragraph (2) shall also apply if the design has been made available to the public as a consequence of an abuse in relation to the designer or his successor in title.

Article 36

Refusal of an industrial design (1) A design shall not be registered as an industrial design if: (a) it is not a design within the meaning of Article 33(2);

(b) it does not fulfil the requirements of Article 33(1) or (4), or Articles 34 or 35, or is in conflict with a design having effect in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of an application with an earlier date of filing;

(c) it should be refused pursuant to Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of 20 March 1883, last revised on 14 July 1967 (Official Gazette SFRJ-MP Nos 5/74, 7/86, Official Gazette RS-MP No 9/92), hereinafter referred as "the Paris Convention", on the ground that authorisation by the competent authorities has not been submitted;
(d) it includes or imitates badges, emblems or escutcheons other than those covered by Article 6ter of the Paris Convention and which are of particular public interest, unless the consent of the competent authorities to its registration has been given;
(e) it is contrary to public order or morality.
(2) An industrial design shall not subsist in features of appearance of a product, which are solely dictated by its technical function.
(3) An industrial design shall not subsist in features of appearance of a product which must necessarily be reproduced in their exact form and dimensions in order to permit the product to which the design is applied to be mechanically connected to or placed in, around or against another product so that either product may perform its function.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an industrial design shall, under the conditions set out in Article 34, subsist in a design serving the purpose of allowing multiple assembly or connection of mutually interchangeable products within a modular system.

Article 37

Rights conferred by an industrial design

(1) The industrial design shall confer on its owner the exclusive right to use it and to prevent any third party not having his consent from using it. The aforementioned use shall cover, in particular, the making, offering, putting on the market, importing, exporting or using of a product to which the design is applied, or stocking such a product for those purposes.

(2) The scope of protection shall include any design which does not produce on the informed user a different overall impression. In assessing the scope of protection, the degree of freedom of the designer in developing the design shall be taken into consideration.
(3) The rights referred to in paragraph (1) shall not extend:
(a) to the importation of spare parts and accessories for the purpose of repairing a ship or aircraft temporarily entering the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, and to the execution of repairs on such ship or aircraft, and mutatis mutandis to acts referred to in Article 19, with the exception of subparagraph (c);

(b) to acts of reproduction for the purposes of making citations or of teaching, provided that such acts are compatible with fair trade practice and do not unduly prejudice the normal exploitation of the design, and that mention is made of source.

(4) Any third person may assert the right based on prior use in respect of an industrial design. In this case, provisions of Article 20 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 38

Exhaustion of rights conferred by an industrial design

(1) The rights conferred by an industrial design shall not extend to acts relating to a product to which the design is applied, when the product has been put on the market in the Republic of Slovenia by the owner ofthe industrial design or with his consent.

(2) The exhaustion of rights referred to in paragraph (1) may be extended beyond the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, if this is in conformity with an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 39

Other forms of industrial design protection

(1) Provisions of this Act concerning industrial designs shall be without prejudice to provisions of other Acts relating to unregistered industrial designs, marks or other distinctive signs, patents, utility models, typefaces, civil liability or unfair competition.
(2) An industrial design shall be eligible for copyright protection as from the date on which the design was created or fixed in any form if it fulfils the conditions under which such a protection is conferred under the Act regulating copyright and related rights.

Article 40

Term of an industrial design

(1) The term of an industrial design shall be one or more periods of five years as from the date of filing of the application.
(2) Subject to corresponding provisions of Article 109, the owner of an industrial design may renew its term for one or more periods of five years each, up to a total term of 25 years from the date of filing of the application.
(3) The term of a multiple industrial design may be renewed, in conformity with paragraph (2), as a whole, or in limited scope for only some products.

Section II

International deposit of industrial designs

Article 41

Requests under the Hague Agreement

(1) The requests under the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs of28 November 1960, as completed on 14 July 1967 and amended on 28 September 1979 (Official Gazette RS-MP No 20/94), hereinafter referred to as "the Hague Agreement" shall be filed, in accordance with the Hague Agreement and implementing rules and instructions thereto, with the International Bureau.
(2) In accordance with Article 8 of the Hague Agreement, provisions of this Act, with the exception of the provision of Article 96(2), shall apply mutatis mutandis to requests under the Hague Agreement by which protection of an industrial design is sought in the Republic of Slovenia.

Chapter IV MARKS

Section I

Marks and collective marks

Article 42

Subject-matter of mark protection

(1) Any sign, or any combination of signs, capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of another undertaking, and capable of being graphically represented, in particular words, including personal names, letters, numerals, figurative elements, three dimensional images, including the shape of goods or of their packaging, combinations of colours as well as any combination of such signs, shall be eligible for registration as marks.

(2) In deciding whether a sign is eligible for registration as a mark, all circumstances, in particular the duration of its use, shall be taken into account.
(3) The nature of the goods or services to which a mark is to be applied shall in no case form an obstacle to the registration of the mark.

Article 43

Absolute grounds for refusal

(1) A sign shall not be eligible for registration as a mark if: (a) it cannot constitute a mark;

(b) it is devoid of any distinctive character;

(c) it serves, in trade, to designate merely the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical origin, or the time of production of the goods or of rendering of the service, or other characteristics of the goods or services;

(d) it contains or consists of a geographical indication identifying wines or spirits, where the mark application relates to wines or spirits not having this origin;

(e) it consists exclusively of signs or indications which have become customary in the current language or in the bona fide and established practices of the trade;

(t) it consists exclusively of the shape which results from the nature of the goods themselves or is necessary to obtain a technical result or gives substantial value to the goods;

(g) it is contrary to public order or morality;

(h) it deceives the public, in particular to the nature, quality or geographical origin of the goods or services;

(i) it contains official signs or hallmarks for controlling or guaranteeing the quality of goods, or imitations thereof;

(j) it has not been authorised by the competent authorities and should be refused pursuant to Article 6rer of the Paris Convention;

(k) it includes or imitates badges, emblems or escutcheons other than those covered by Article 6rer of the Paris Convention and which are of particular public interest, unless the consent of the competent authorities to its registration has been given;

(1) it contains or consists of a designation of origin or a geographical indication registered in accordance with the Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July

1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for

agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 208/92, p. 1), provided that the circumstances referred to in Article 13 of that Regulation exist and the sign does not relate to the same sort of product, and provided that the mark application has been filed after the date of filing of the application for the registration of a designation of origin or a geographical indication with the Commission.

(2) Paragraph l(b), (c) and (e) shall not apply to marks which acquired a distinctive character through long-term use.

(3) A sign which is ineligible for registration because it contains the name or abbreviation of the name, State armorial bearing, emblem, flag or other official sign of the Republic of Slovenia, or a part thereof, which is in breach of the provisions of

paragraph (l)(j) and (k), shall not be used in the course of trade without the consent of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 44

Relative grounds for refusal

(1) Further, a sign shall not be eligible for registration as a mark if:

(a) it is identical with an earlier mark of another owner, and the goods or services for which the registration is applied for are identical with the goods or services for which the earlier mark is registered;

(b) because of its identity with or similarity to the earlier mark of another owner and the identity or similarity of the goods or services covered by the sign and the mark there exist the likelihood of confusion on the part of the public, which includes the likelihood of association with the earlier mark;

(c) because of its identity with or similarity to an earlier mark of another owner, registered for goods or services which are not identical with or similar to the goods or services for which the registration has been applied for, the use without due cause of such sign would take unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or the repute of the earlier mark, or if it would indicate a connection between the goods or services and the owner of the earlier mark, and provided that the interests of the owner of the earlier mark are likely to be damaged by such use;
(d) it is identical with or similar to a mark or unregistered sign, which is in the Republic of Slovenia a well-known mark within the meaning of Article 6bis of the Paris Convention or Article 16(3) of the TRIPS Agreement;
(e) the owner of the mark registered in any Member State of the Union established under the Paris Convention, hereinafter referred to as "the Paris Union", or the World Trade Organisation, hereinafter referred to as "the WTO", proves that his agent or representative applied, without the owner's consent, for the registration of the sign in his own name;

(f) its use would contradict an earlier right to a name, personal portrayal, plant variety, geographical indication or other industrial property right, or an earlier copyright, unless the owner of the earlier right gives his express consent to the registration of such sign.

(2) "Earlier mark" within the meaning of paragraph (1) means:
(a) mark which was applied for or registered in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of a national application before the date of filing of the application for the later mark or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority;
(b) mark for which the protection was sought in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of an international application before the date of filing of the application for the later mark or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.

Article 45

Subject-matter of collective mark protection

(1) Any sign which meets the requirements of Article 42 and is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of the members of the holder of the collective mark from those of another undertakings as to their origin in a given enterprise or their geographical origin, their nature, quality, or other properties, shall be eligible for registration as a collective mark.

(2) The applicant for or holder of a collective mark may be any association of legal or natural persons, including umbrella associations having legal personality, hereinafter referred to as "the associations", or legal persons governed by public law.
(3) The members of the holder may use a collective mark in conformity with regulations referred to in Article 46.
(4) The provisions of this Act shall apply to the registration of collective marks, unless otherwise provided by this Act.

Article 46

Regulations governing use of a collective mark

(1) An applicant for a collective mark must submit, when filing the application, regulations governing use of the collective mark.
(2) Regulations referred to in paragraph (1) shall include at least: (a) the name and seat of the applicant;
(b) indication of the applicant's business and information concerning the person whom he officially and by laws represents;
(c) the conditions of membership;
(d) data concerning the group of persons having authority to use the collective mark; (e) provisions concerning the rights and obligations of the members in the event of
infringement of the collective mark.
(3) The applicant for or holder of a collective mark shall immediately communicate to the Office any amendment to the regulations, which shall be examined by the Office as to its compliance with paragraph (2).
(4) Anyone may inspect the regulations governing use of a collective mark.

Article 47

Rights conferred by a mark

(1) A mark shall confer on the owner exclusive right to use the mark and other exclusive rights under this Act. The owner of a mark shall be entitled to prevent all third parties not having his consent from using in the course of trade:

(a) any sign which is identical with the mark in relation to goods or services which are identical with those for which the mark is registered;

(b) any sign where, because of its identity with or similarity to the mark and the identity or similarity of the goods or services covered by the mark and the sign, there exists a likelihood of confusion on the part of the public, which includes the likelihood of association between the sign and the mark;

(c) any sign which is identical with or similar to the mark in relation to goods or services which are not similar to those for which the mark is registered, where the mark has a reputation in the Republic of Slovenia and where the use without due cause of that sign would take unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or the repute of the mark.
(2) The following, inter alia, may be prohibited under paragraph (1): (a) affixing the sign to the goods or to the packaging thereof;

(b) offering the goods, putting them on the market or stocking them for these purposes under that sign, or offering or supplying services thereunder;

(c) importing or exporting the goods under that sign;
(d) using the sign on business papers and in advertising.

Article 48

Limitation of rights conferred by a mark

(1) The mark shall not entitle the owner to prohibit a third party from using in the course of trade and in accordance with honest practices in industrial or commercial matters:

(a) his own name or address;
(b) indications concerning the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical origin, the time of production of goods or of rendering the service, or other characteristics of goods or services;
(c) the mark where it is necessary to indicate the intended purpose of a product or service, in particular as accessories or spare parts;
(d) any sign which is identical or similar to the mark, where the third party started to use it in good faith before the date of filing of the application or, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.
(2) Where the owner of an earlier mark as referred to in Article 44(2) has not opposed, in a period of five successive years, the use of the later mark while being aware of such use, he shall no longer be entitled on the basis of the earlier mark to file an action under Article 114 or 119, or prohibit the use of the later mark in respect to the goods or services for which the later mark has been used, unless registration of the later mark was applied for in bad faith.

Article 49

Limitation of rights conferred by a collective mark

(3) The holder of a collective mark which consists also of an indication of the geographical origin shall enable any person whose goods or services originate in the geographical area concerned and meet the conditions for use set out in the regulations governing use of the collective mark to become a member of the association which is the holder of the mark.

Article 50

Exhaustion of rights conferred by a mark

(1) A mark shall not entitle the owner to prohibit its use in relation to goods which have been put on the market in the Republic of Slovenia by the owner or with his consent.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply where there exist legitimate reasons for the owner to oppose further commercialisation of the goods, especially where the condition of the goods is changed or impaired after they have been put on the market.
(3) The exhaustion ofrights referred to in paragraph (1) may be extended beyond the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, if this is in conformity with an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

Article 51

Reproduction of marks in dictionaries

If the reproduction of a mark in a dictionary, encyclopaedia or similar reference work gives the impression that it constitutes the generic name of the goods or services for which the sign is registered, the publisher of the work shall, at the request of the owner of the mark, ensure that the reproduction of the mark at the latest in the next edition of the publication is accompanied by an indication that it is a mark.

Article 52

Term of a mark

(1) The term of a mark shall be ten years computed from the date of filing of the application.
(2) Subject to corresponding provisions of Article 109, the owner of a mark may renew its term an unlimited number of times, each time for ten years, computed from the date of filing of the application.
(3) The term of a mark may be renewed, in accordance with paragraph (2), as a whole, or in limited scope for only some goods or services.

Section II

International registrations of marks

Article 53

Filing of requests with the Office

(1) The Office shall accept requests under the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registrations of Marks of 14 April1891 as last revised on 14 July 1967 (Official Gazette SFRJ-MP No 2/74, Official Gazette RS-MP No 9/92), hereinafter referred to as "the Madrid Agreement" and the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registrations of Marks of 27 June 1997 (Official Gazette RS-MP No 21197), hereinafter referred to as "the Madrid Protocol".
(2) Upon filing the request, or within three months after the receipt of the Office's invitation, the fee shall be paid. If the fee is not paid in due time, the request shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(3) The request for international registration of a mark shall be accompanied by a list of goods or services in the language prescribed by the Madrid Agreement or the Madrid Protocol, and implementing rules and instructions thereto.
(4) If the request is not drawn up in conformity with the Madrid Agreement or the Madrid Protocol, implementing rules and instructions thereto, this Act and executive regulations thereto, the Office shall invite the person filing the request to amend the request within three months from the receipt of the invitation. If the request is not amended in due time, it shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(5) An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall define, in greater detail, the contents of the request referred to in paragraph (1) and procedures relating thereto.

Article 54

Examination of international marks

(1) In accordance with Article 5 of the Madrid Agreement or Article 5 of the Madrid Protocol, the provisions of this Act, other than those of Article 103, shall apply mutatis mutandis to requests under the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol, by which the protection of a mark is sought in the Republic of Slovenia.

(2) The publication of data concerning the international registration of a mark in the Gazette of the International Bureau shall be construed as the publication of the mark application in the Republic of Slovenia.
(3) Where the owner of the mark for which protection is sought in the Republic of
Slovenia under the Madrid Agreement or the Madrid Protocol does not comment on
the intended refusal of the protection of the mark, of which he has been notified in conformity with Article 5 of the Madrid Agreement or Article 5 of the Madrid Protocol, the Office shall, notwithstanding Article 129(5), mail the decision through a postal service directly to the owner of the mark.

Chapter V GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

Article 55

Subject-matter of protection of registered geographical indications

(1) Geographical indications eligible for registration are indications which identify a good as originating in a territory, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
(2) The name of a good, which has become generally known through long-term use in the course of trade as the name indicating that the good originates in a specific place or region, is also eligible for registration as a geographical indication.
(3) Geographical indications relating to a good of special historic or cultural importance may be protected by a decree issued by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
(4) Geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstaffs as well as for wines and other products obtained from grapes or wine shall not be eligible for registration under this Act.

Article 56

Grounds for refusal

A geographical indication shall not be eligible for registration if:
(a) it indicates or suggests that the good in question originates in a geographical area other than the true place of origin in a manner which misleads the public as to the geographical origin of the good;

(b) although literally true as to the territory, region or locality in which the good originates, it falsely represents to the public that the good originates in another territory;

(c) it has become generally known through long-term use in the course of trade as a designation for a specific kind of goods;
(d) in the light of a mark's reputation and renown and the length of time it has been used, registration is liable to mislead the consumer as to the true identity of the product.

Article 57

Protection against general use

Registered geographical indications may not become generic or common names which would be freely used in the course of trade.

Article 58

Rights conferred by a registered geographical indication

(l) A registered geographical indication is a collective right and may be used as such in the course of trade only by those who, in accordance with the specification referred to in Article 104(2), produce or market the goods protected by the geographical indication.
(2) The use of a registered geographical indication by unauthorised persons shall be prohibited.
(3) The use of a registered geographical indication shall be prohibited where the goods do not originate in the place indicated by the geographical indication, even if the true origin of the goods is indicated, and where the geographical indication is used in translation or accompanied by expressions such as "kind", "type", "style", "imitation" or the like.

Article 59

Limitation of rights conferred by a registered geographical indication

(1) A mark shall not be cancelled nor its use prohibited where a mark which is identical with or similar to a registered geographical indication has been applied for or registered in good faith, or where rights to a mark have been acquired through use in good faith before the geographical indication has been registered.
(2) A registered geographical indication shall not exclude the right of any person to use, in the course of trade, that person's name or the name of that person's predecessor in business, except where such name is used in such a manner as to mislead the public.

Article 60

Term of a registered geographical indication

The term of a registered geographical indication shall be unlimited.

Chapter VI

GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING PROCEDURES BEFORE THE OFFICE

Article 61

International right of priority

(1) Any person who has duly filed an application for a patent, industrial design or mark in any Member State of the Paris Union or WTO shall enjoy, for the purpose of filing the application in the Republic of Slovenia, a right of priority, for patents during a period of twelve months, and for industrial designs and marks during a period of six months following the date of filing of the first application.
(2) A person claiming the right of priority referred to in paragraph (1) shall indicate, when filing the application in the Republic of Slovenia, the date of the claimed priority. Within three months after the filing of the application, the number and State or Office of the first application shall be communicated to the Office. If the applicant fails to comply with the provision of this paragraph, the priority shall be deemed not to have been claimed.
(3) Upon the request of the Office or, in case of dispute, upon the request of the court, the person requesting the right of priority shall submit a copy of the first application, certified by the competent authority in the Member State of the Paris Union or WTO, in which such application was filed. A copy of the first application may not be required before the expiration of sixteen months from the filing of the first application.
(4) Where the copy of the first application referred to in paragraph (3) is not the Slovene language and the validity of the priority claim is relevant to the determination of whether the invention concerned is patentable, the Office or, in case of dispute, the court may require that a translation of the first application in the Slovene language be filed by the person requesting priority within three months from the receipt of the invitation.
(5) Multiple priorities may be claimed in respect of several previous applications filed in one or several countries.
(6) The applicant may claim the right of priority for a patent application on the basis of a utility model application.
(7) Upon request and against payment of the fee prescribed by the Act regulating administrative fees, the Office shall issue a priority certificate. An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall define, in greater detail, the contents of the priority certificate and proceedings relating to the issuance thereof.

Article 62

Temporary protection at certain international exhibitions

(1) A person who displays an invention, appearance of the whole or a part of a product, or who uses a specific sign for marking goods or services, at an official or officially recognised international exhibition, falling within the terms of the Convention on International Exhibitions, signed on 22 November 1928 and last revised on 30 November 1972, in the Republic of Slovenia or other Member State of the Paris Union or WTO, may claim in his application, within three months after the closing of the exhibition, the right of priority as of the first day of the display of the invention or appearance of the whole or a part of the product, or of the use of the sign.
(2) A person claiming the right of priority referred to in paragraph (1) shall indicate, when filing the application in the Republic of Slovenia, the type of exhibition, the place at which it was held, the opening and closing dates and the first day of exhibition or use, and submit a written certificate issued by a competent authority in the Member State of the Paris Union or WTO, attesting to the official or officially recognised international nature of the exhibition. If the applicant fails to comply with the provision of this paragraph, the priority shall be deemed not to have been claimed.
(3) The claiming of priority under paragraph (1) shall not extend the time limits of the international right of priority referred to in Article 61(1).

Article 63

Correction or addition of a priority claim

(1) The applicant may request a correction or addition of a priority claim with respect to a patent application within sixteen months from the date of priority or, where the correction or addition would cause a change in the date of priority, sixteen months from the date of priority as so changed, provided that such a request is filed within four months from the date of filing of the application.
(2) When filing the request, the applicant shall pay a fee. If the fee is not paid, the request shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(3) Any request referred to in paragraph (1) received after the applicant has requested the publication under Article 89(2) shall be deemed not to have been filed, unless the request under Article 89(2) is withdrawn before the technical preparations for publication of the application have been completed.
(4) Where the correction or addition of a priority claim causes a change in the date of priority, the time limits shall be computed from the date of priority as so changed.

Article 64

Restoration of the right of priority

(1) Where a patent application which could have claimed the priority of an earlier application has a filing date which is later than the date on which the priority period expired, but within two months from that date, the applicant may request the restoration of the right of priority, if he failed to file the application within the time limit referred to in Article 61(1) in spite of all due care required by the circumstances having been taken.

(2) The request for restoration of the right of priority shall be filed within two months from the date on which the priority period expired and before technical preparations for publication of the application have been completed. Upon filing the request, the fee shall be paid. If the fee is not paid, the request shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Article 65

Prohibition to extend the scope of an application

(1) As from the date of filing, the subject-matter of a patent application may not be extended beyond he subject-matter of the application as initially filed.
(2) As from the date of filing, in the case of an industrial design application, the appearance of the whole or a part of a product shall not be substantially modified, or the number of products increased.
(3) As from the date of filing, in the case of a mark application, the sign shall not be substantially modified, or the original number of goods or services increased.

Article 66

Extension of time limits

(1) The applicant for or owner of a right may request, prior to the expiration of a time limit, its extension for up to three months.

(2) The time limits for filing an action as well as those referred to in paragraph (1) and in Articles 13(1), 27(2), 35(2), 61(1), 62(1), 63(1), 64(2), 67(2), 68(2), 80(3), 86(3),
91(1), 92(3), 94(2) and (3), 101(1) and (5), 109, 110, 117(1), 130(2) and 137(2) shall not be extended.

Article 67

Further processing after the non-observance of a time limit

(1) The applicant, who has failed to comply with a time limit set out for the fulfilment of the obligations required in the proceedings for the acquisition of a right, may request that the non-observed time limit be deemed to have been complied with, that legal consequences of such non-observance be abolished, and that the Office continues the proceedings for the acquisition of the right.

(2) The request for further processing shall be filed, the omitted act must be completed, and the fee shall be paid within two months from the date on which the applicant was informed of the failure to comply with the time limit and the legal consequences of such non-observance. If the omitted act is not completed or if the fee is not paid in due time, the request shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(3) The grant of further processing may not be requested for the non-observance of the time limit referred to in paragraph (2) and the time limit for filing an opposition or action, or if a request for the grant of restitutio in integrum or for correction or addition of a priority claim or for restoration of the right of priority has been filed.
(4) If the Office grants a request for further processing, Article 68(6) or (7) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 68

Restitutio in integrum

(1) A party to the proceedings before the Office who, in spite of all due care required by the circumstances having been taken, was unable to observe any time limit set out for the obligations required by the Office in accordance with this Act and the

executive regulations issued pursuant to this Act, may request, on the basis of justifiable reasons, to have his rights re-established if the non-observance had the consequence of causing the deeming of the application, or of any request, to have been withdrawn, or the rejection or refusal, or the loss of the right.
(2) The request for the grant of restitutio in integrum shall be filed within three months from the removal of the cause of non-compliance with the time limit, or, if the party only learned subsequently about that non-compliance, from the day when the party learned. Upon filing the request, the omitted act shall be completed and a fee shall be paid. Failure to observe this condition shall lead to the request being deemed to be withdrawn.
(3) The request for the grant of restitutio in integrum may not be refused, wholly or in part, without previously notifying the requesting party in writing of the reasons for the intended refusal, in whole or in part, and without inviting him to react, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, to the reasons.
(4) The request for the grant of restitutio in integrum shall only be admissible within one year following the expiry of the unobserved time limit.
(5) The grant of restitutio in integrum shall not be requested for the non-observance of the time limit prescribed for the filing of the opposition or action, or the copy of the first application, the request for the grant of restitutio in integrum, the request for the grant of further processing, the request for the right of priority, the request for a correction or addition of priority claim, or the request for restoration of the right of priority.
(6) Any person who in good faith has used or made effective and serious preparations for using an invention or an industrial design which is the subject of a published application in the course of the period between the loss of the right referred to in paragraph (1) and publication of the mention of re-establishment of that right, may, without payment, continue such use in the course of his business or for the needs thereof.
(7) Where the applicant for or owner of a mark has his right re-established, he may not invoke his rights to any person who, in good faith, has put goods on the market or supplied services under a sign which is identical with or similar to the mark in the course of the period between the loss of the right referred to in paragraph (1) and publication of the mention of re-establishment of that right.

Article 69

Withdrawal of a request

(1) A party to the proceedings before the Office may, at any time in the course of a proceeding, withdraw any request he might have filed.
(2) The request is deemed to be withdrawn as of the date when the Office receives the request for its withdrawal.
(3) On the basis of the request for the withdrawal of a request, the Office shall issue an order on the termination of the proceeding.
(4) If the applicant withdraws a request for the grant of a patent after technical preparations for publication of the application have been completed, and the application has been published, the publication of the application shall not be deemed to form part of the state of the art under Article 12.

Article 70

Notification of the applicant before refusal of a right

(1) The Office may not issue a decision on refusal, in whole or in part, of a request for the grant or registration of a right without previously informing the applicant in writing of the reasons and without inviting him to react, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, to the reasons or amend the submitted request.
(2) If the applicant reacts in due time to the reasons for refusal of his request, or amends the request, the Office shall, before issuing the decision, verify whether the reasons for the refusal, in whole or in part, still exist.

Article 71

Administrative litigation

There shall be no appeal against a decision or order issued by the Office; however, an action in the administrative litigation proceedings may be filed with the Administrative Court of the Republic of Slovenia in Ljubljana. The court shall decide on the case at its seat in Ljubljana.

Article 72

Proceedings relating to actions

(1) The court shall immediately notify the Office of the receipt of an action under this Act and of the final decision. The court shall submit its judgement, together with the confirmation that it is legally binding, to the Office for execution.
(2) The Office shall issue a decision through which the court decision is executed.
(3) Proceedings relating to actions under this Act shall be expeditious. The court shall accord priority to decisions relating to actions under this Act.
(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to litigations concerning infringements of rights.

Article 73

Inventor, designer

(1) In the procedure for the grant of a patent, the inventor mentioned as such in the application shall be deemed to be the inventor, except when the court decides otherwise.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply mutatis mutandis to designers.

(3) The Office shall not verify the accuracy of the data on the inventor or designer.

Article 74

Owner of a right

(1) Patents shall be granted and industrial designs or marks registered in the name of the person who is designated as the applicant at the time of the grant or registration.

(2) Where several persons are designated as joint applicants, paragraph (1) shall apply mutatis mutandis. Mutual relations between the persons designated as joint applicants shall not be determined by the Office.

Article 75

Transfer and licensing of rights

(1) The owner of a patent, industrial design or mark may assign by contract, in part or in whole, his right and conclude licence agreements.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply mutatis mutandis to the applicant.

(3) Neither a collective mark nor a geographical indication may be transferred or be subject of a licence agreement.

Article 76

Date of the acquisition of a right

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the rights under Articles 18, 37, 47 and 58 shall be acquired as of the date of their entry in the corresponding register.

(2) Subject to Article 122, the right under Article 18(1) may not be not enforceable by an action under Article 121 for infringement of a patent before the date of issuance of a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or (b), or before the date of the entry of a European patent already granted in the Office's register.

Article 77

Lapse of rights

Notwithstanding the terms laid down in Articles 22, 23, 40 and 52, the granted or registered rights shall lapse:

(a) in case that the owner renounces his right, on the day following the date on which the request for renunciation is received by the Office;

(b) if prescribed fees are not paid in conformity with the provisions of this Act;

(c) pursuant to a final decision of the court or a decision of the Office in those cases provided by this Act, on the date specified in such decision.

Article 78

Correction of errors

(1) The Office may at any time, ex officio or upon request, correct errors in names, dates and numbers, and other obvious errors in its acts, publications and registers.
(2) Corrections of errors shall be published in the Official Journal.

Chapter VII

PROCEDURE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF RIGHTS

Section I

Filing of applications and examination as to formal requirements

Article 79

Requirements of an application

(1) The application shall contain a statement to the effect that the acquisition of a right is requested, and:

(a) for patents, all items listed in Article 86(1);

(b) for industrial designs, all items listed in Article 94(1);

(c) for marks, all items listed in Article 97(1) and, for collective marks, also the regulations referred to in Article 46.
(2) The application shall also contain:
(a) a power of attorney, if the application has been filed by a representative;

(b) the translation in the Slovene language ofthe application which has been filed in a foreign language in accordance with Article 81(2);

(c) receipt for payment of the full amount of the filing fee.
(3) Executive regulations issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall defme, in greater detail, the contents of the application, and proceedings relating to the grant of patents and registration of industrial designs and marks.

Article 80

Form of the application and the means of filing

(1) The application for the acquisition of a right shall comply as to its contents and form with provisions of this Act and the regulations issued pursuant to this Act. It shall be legible and transmitted in a manner which enables a clear and proper reproduction of its contents.
(2) The application shall be filed in writing, either directly or by post, by facsimile machine or by other electronic means of communication. An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall define, in greater detail, the manner of filing applications by other electronic means.
(3) Where an application, which has been transmitted by facsimile machine or by other electronic means, is not legible or can not be clearly and properly reproduced, the Office shall invite the applicant to submit, within three months following the receipt of the invitation, a copy of that application in writing. If the requested copy is not transmitted in due time, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(4) When filing the application, or no later than three months after the date of receipt of the invitation, the filing fee shall be paid. If the fee is not paid in full in due time, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Article 81

Language of applications

(1) Applications shall be filed in the Slovene language, unless otherwise provided by this Act or an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.
(2) Applications may be filed in a foreign language, provided that it includes at least the indication of the right requested, and the indication allowing the applicant to be contacted by the Office, in the Slovene language or in one of the official languages of the EPC, the Madrid Agreement, the Madrid Protocol or the Hague Agreement.
(3) If an application is filed in a foreign language, the applicant shall submit to the Office the translation thereof in the Slovene language within three months following receipt of the invitation. If the Office does not receive the translation in due time, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.
(4) The Office shall conduct the proceedings on the basis of the application in the
Slovene language.

Article 82

Date of filing

(1) Subject to Article 81(2), the Office shall accord the date of filing and number to any application containing at least:

(a) a statement to the effect that the acquisition of a right is requested;

(b) indications allowing the identity of the applicant to be established or allowing the applicant to be contacted by the Office;

(c) essential items of an application for the requested right referred to paragraph (2). (2) Essential items referred to in paragraph (l)(c) are the following:
(a) for patents, a part of the application which on the face of it appears to be a description;

(b) for industrial designs, a photograph or graphical representation of the appearance of the whole or a part of the product or, with two-dimensional products, where deferment of publication under Article 94(2) has been requested, a specimen of that product or its part;

(c) for marks, a representation of the sign and a list of the goods or services for which the protection is sought and, for collective marks, also the regulations referred to in Article 46.
(3) Subject to Article 83, the date of filing of an application shall be the date on which the Office has received all items referred to in paragraph (1), unless otherwise provided by this Act or by an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia. The Office shall issue a receipt to the applicant to the effect that it received the application, indicating the date of filing and number of the application.
(4) If the application does not contain all items referred to in paragraph (1) and can not be accorded the date of filing and number, the Office shall, as soon as it receives the indication allowing it to make contact with the applicant, notify the applicant accordingly and invite him to amend the application within three months from the receipt of the invitation, to fulfil at least the conditions laid down in paragraph (1).
(5) If the application referred to in paragraph (4) is amended in due time so as to contain all items referred to in paragraph (1), the Office shall accord to the application the date of filing and number. The date of filing of such application shall be the date when the Office received all of the items referred to in paragraph (1), and shall issue a receipt to that effect to the applicant.
(6) If the application referred to in paragraph (4) is not amended in due time, or is not amended as requested, it shall be deemed to be withdrawn, and the Office shall notify the applicant accordingly.

Article 83

Particularities concerning the filing date

(1) Where, in establishing the filing date, it appears that a part of the description is missing from the application, or that the application refers to a drawing which appears to be missing from the application, the Office shall promptly notify the applicant accordingly and invite him to amend the application within three months from the receipt of the invitation.
(2) Where a missing part of the description or a missing drawing is filed with the Office within the time limit prescribed in paragraph (1), that part of the description or that drawing shall be included in the application, and the date of filing shall be the date on which the Office has received that part of the description or that drawing, or the date on which it has received all of the items referred to in Article 82(1), whichever is later.
(3) Where the applicant claims the priority under Article 61 in respect of an application from which a part of the description or a drawing appears to be missing, the missing part of the description or missing drawing shall be completely contained in the earlier application.
(4) Where the applicant claims the priority under Article 61, the essential items of the application referred to in Article 82(2)(a) shall be deemed to have been filed, for the purposes of the date of filing, if the applicant, when filing the application in the Republic of Slovenia, indicates the date, number and State or Office of the previous application. In such case, the applicant shall submit the copy of the previous application referred to in Article 61(3) within three months from the receipt of the invitation, unless the previous application was filed with the Office, or is available to the Office from a digital library which is accepted by the Office for that purpose. If the applicant fails to submit the copy, the right of priority shall be deemed not to have been requested.

Article 84

Invitation to submit all items

(1) Where an application to which the date of filing and number were accorded does not contain all items referred to in Article 79, the Office shall invite the applicant to amend the application within three months from the receipt of the invitation, and to remedy deficiencies.
(2) If the application referred to in paragraph (1) is not amended in due time, or is not amended as requested, it shall be deemed to be withdrawn, except in cases referred to in Articles 128(4) and 129(5).

Article 85

Examination of an application as to formal requirements

(1) When an application contains all items referred to in Article 79, the Office shall examine whether the items of the application or supplements or evidence, if any, are, as to their contents and form, drawn up as prescribed by this Act and the regulations issued pursuant to this Act.

(2) In the case of a patent application, the Office shall also examine whether the invention meets the requirements of Article 87(2) and (4), and whether all fees have been paid, including any renewal fees under Articles 109(4) or 110(4).
(3) If, in the case of a mark application, the Office establishes that the list of goods and services contains a good or service which is not classified according to the international classification established by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised on 14 July 1967 (Official Gazette SFRJ-MP No
51/74, Official Gazette RS-MP No 9/92), hereinafter referred as "the Nice
Classification", or is classified in the wrong class, the Office may, in the case of minor irregularities, on its own motion, classify the good or service according to the Nice Classification, or correct the classification, and inform the applicant accordingly. Where the Office groups or corrects more than five classifications of goods or

services according to the Nice Classification, it shall invite the applicant to pay, within one month from the receipt of the invitation, the fee for classification. If the applicant fails to pay the fee in due time, the application for the goods or services which the Office classified according to the Nice Classification or corrected the classification thereof, shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

(4) If, in the case of a mark application, the Office establishes that a good or service in the list of goods and services is indicated by a term that is too vague for the purposes of a correct classification according to the Nice Classification, or if the Office does not act according to paragraph (3), it shall invite the applicant to remedy irregularity within three months from the receipt of the invitation. If the applicant fails to remedy the irregularity in due time, the application for the goods or services which were not clearly indicated or correctly classified according to the Nice Classification shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

(5) If any deficiencies are noted in the application or in supplements or evidence, the Office shall invite the applicant to remedy deficiencies within three months from the receipt of the invitation.

(6) If the applicant does not remedy all deficiencies in due time, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn, except in the cases referred to in paragraphs (3) and (4), and in Articles 128(4) and 129(5).

(7) If the Office establishes that all the items of the application or supplements or evidence, if any, comply, as to their contents and form, with the provisions of this Act and the regulations issued pursuant to this Act, the proceedings shall continue:

(a) for patent applications, under Article 88 and subsequent articles; (b) for industrial design applications, under Article 96;

(c) for mark applications, under Article 99 and subsequent articles.

Section II

Special provisions for patents

Article 86

Requirements of a patent application

(1) A patent application shall contain: (a) a request for the grant of a patent; (b) a description of the invention;

(c) one or more claims;

(d) a short summary of the subject-matter of the invention, hereinafter referred to as
"the abstract";
(e) if necessary, one or more drawings of the invention.
(2) Not later than up to the issue of an order on the publication of the application, the applicant may file a divisional application in respect of subject-matter which does not extend beyond the content of the earlier application. The divisional application shall be deemed to have been filed on the date of filing of the earlier application and shall have the benefit of the same right to priority as the earlier application.
(3) Short-term patents shall be requested when filing the patent application or within twelve months from the date of filing. After the expiry of this time limit, the request shall be irrevocable.

Article 87

Substance of requirements of a patent application

(1) The request for the grant of a patent shall contain data on the applicant (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), the title of the invention defining its subject­ matter, and other data relating to the application which are prescribed by an executive regulation.
(2) The description of the invention shall include the presentation of the problem, information on the state of the art or of other solutions available by that time and their deficiencies which have been known to the applicant, together with a description of the new solution to the problem. The invention shall be described in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it to be carried out by a person skilled in the art to which the subject-matter of the invention relates.
(3) If an invention relates to biological material defined by an executive regulation, which is not available to the public and can not be described in a manner to be carried out by a person skilled in the art to which the subject-matter of the invention relates, the description of the invention shall be supplemented by a certificate of the deposit of biological material with an international depository authority under Article 7 of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Micro-organisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure of 28 April 1997, and amended on 26 September
1980 (Official Gazette RS-MP No 21/97).
(4) The claims shall define the subject-matter for which protection is sought. They shall be clear and concise and be supported by the description.
(5) The abstract shall merely serve for use as technical information; it may not be taken into account for any other purpose, in particular not for the purpose of interpreting the scope of the protection sought.
(6) A patent application may relate to several inventions, provided that they are so linked as to form a single inventive concept.

Article 88

Examination of requirements for the grant of a patent

(1) In the examination preceding the grant of a patent, the Office shall examine:
(a) whether, subject to Article 11, the subject-matter of the claimed invention is patentable;
(b) whether the claimed invention meets, at first sight, the requirements of Articles 12,
14 and 15.
(2) In the examination preceding the grant of a short-term patent, the Office shall examine:
(a) whether, subject to Article 11(1) and (2)(a), the subject-matter of the invention to which the application relates may be protected by a short-term patent;
(b) whether the claimed invention meets, at first sight, the requirements of Articles 12,
15 and 16.
(3) If the Office establishes that the claims of the patent application meet all the requirements of paragraph (1), or that the claims of the short-term patent application meet all the requirements of paragraph (2), it shall decide to publish the application in the Official Journal.
(4) If the Office establishes that the claims of the patent application do not meet all the requirements of paragraph (1), or that the claims of the short-term patent application do not meet all the requirements of paragraph (2), it shall refuse the application.
(5) If the Office establishes that the claims of the patent application do not meet the requirements ofparagraphs (1) and (2) only in part, it shall refuse the application only in that part.

Article 89

Publication of a patent application

(1) The Office shall publish a patent application after the expiry of a period of eighteen months from the date of the filing or, if priority has been claimed, the date of priority.
(2) The applicant may request that the application be published before the expiry of the period referred to in paragraph (1), but no earlier than after the expiry of three months from the date ofthe filing or, ifpriority has been claimed, the date of priority.
(3) The Office shall publish a patent application together with the mention of the grant of the patent.

Article 90

Grant of a patent

(1) The Office shall issue a decision on the grant of a patent and enter the patent in the register of patents. The date of the publication of a patent application shall be deemed to be the date of the grant of a patent.
(2) Until the issuance of a decision under Article 93, the scope of protection shall be determined by the contents of claims as published.

Article 91

Time limit for submission of a written evidence

(1) Owners of patents or exclusive rights from patents shall submit to the Office no later than the expiry of the ninth year of the patent term written evidence that the patented invention satisfies all the requirements of Articles 10, 12, 14 and 15.

(2) Owners of patents or exclusive rights from patents shall pay, when submitting the evidence under paragraph (1) or within three months from the receipt of the invitation, a fee for the declaratory decision. If the fee is not paid in due time, the evidence shall be deemed not to have been submitted.
(3) If the owner of a patent or exclusive right from a patent fails to act in accordance with paragraph (1), the patent shall lapse on the date of the expiry of the tenth year of the patent term.
(4) If the owner of a patent submits the evidence referred to in paragraph (1) with respect to an action under Article 121, the Office shall issue one of the decisions referred to in Article 93 using an expeditious procedure.
(5) The provisions of this Article shall not apply to short-term patents.
(6) In the case of a European patent, which is valid in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of a European patent application filed in accordance with Article 3(2), the provisions of this Article and of Articles 92 and 93 are directly fulfilled as of the date on which the EPO publishes the mention of its granting.

Article 92

Forms ofwritten evidence

(1) A Slovene translation of a European patent, or several European patents, granted for the same invention by the EPO shall be considered evidence as referred to in Article 91.
(2) If no application for a European patent has been filed for the same invention, the Slovene translation of a patent for the same invention, granted, following substantive examination, by another authority which, under Article 32 of the PCT, enjoys the status of International Preliminary Examining Authority, or by any other patent office with which a relevant treaty has been concluded, may be submitted as evidence under Article 91.
(3) If the granting proceedings, which constitute the evidence under paragraph (1) or
(2), have not yet been finished, the applicant shall inform the Office accordingly in
the time limit prescribed in Article 91(1). On the basis of that information, the Office shall interrupt the proceedings. The proceedings shall continue if the applicant submits evidence under this Article within three months after the grant of the patent. If the evidence under this Article is not submitted in due time, the patent shall lapse on the date of the expiry of the tenth year of the patent term.
(4) A Slovene translation of a patent which constitutes the evidence referred to in Article 91 shall not confer protection which is broader than that conferred by it in the original text.
(5) Where the Office doubts the correctness of the translation, it may request that the owner of a patent or exclusive right from a patent submits, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, a certified text of the Slovene translation which constitutes the evidence from Article 91. If the certified text of the Slovene translation is not filed in due time, the evidence is deemed not to have been submitted.
(6) When the evidence is submitted pursuant to paragraph (2), the owner of a patent or exclusive right from the patent shall submit a list and copies of all other patents which could be considered as evidence, including data on patent applications and patents which have been refused. If the list and copies of the patents do not supplement the evidence, the evidence is deemed not to have been submitted.
(7) If the Office establishes that the evidence under this Article is forged or is not true, it declares the patent to be void.
(8) When the owner of a patent or exclusive right from a patent does not have an evidence referred to in paragraph (1) or (2), he may request, against payment of a fee, that the Office obtains relevant data or opinions to be used as the basis for the issuing of one of the decisions under Article 93 from any of the authorities or offices listed in paragraph (2).

Article 93

Issuing declaratory decisions

(1) On the basis of the submitted evidence and other documents under Article 92, the
Office shall issue:
(a) a declaratory decision stating that the invention meets the requirements of Articles
10, 12, 14 and 15, and that the claims of a patent granted entirely meet those requirements; or
(b) a declaratory decision stating that the invention meets the requirements of Articles
10, 12, 14 and 15 only in part, and thereby correspondingly amending the claims of a patent granted; or
(c) a declaratory decision stating that the invention failed to meet the requirements of Articles 10, 12, 14 and 15 on the date of the filing of the application, and thereby declaring the patent to be void.
(2) A decision under paragraph (1)(b) or (c) may not be issued by the Office if it has not previously notified the owner of a patent of the intended amendments of claims or the nullity of a patent, and if the owner of a patent has not been invited to comment, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, on the decision, or amend the claims. If the owner of a patent comments on the decision, or amends the claims in due time, the Office shall, before issuing the decision under paragraph {l)(b) or (c), verify if the reasons for the issuance thereof still exist. If the owner of a patent fails to comment on the decision in due time, it shall be deemed that he shares the opinion of the Office.
(3) Patent claims which are amended pursuant a decision under paragraph (l)(b) shall not confer protection which is broader than that conferred by claims of a patent granted by a decision under Article 90.
(4) Where the Office establishes, on the basis of the submitted evidence under Article
92, that the patent granted does not meet the requirement of Article 87(6), it shall divide the patent into several patents preserving the date of filing of the initial application and, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.

Section III

Special provisions for industrial designs

Article 94

Requirements of an industrial design application

(1) An application for an industrial design shall contain: (a) a request for the registration of an industrial design;
(b) a photograph or graphical representation of the appearance of the whole or a part of the product, or of the products in case of a multiple application, in the number of copies prescribed by an executive regulation.
(2) The applicant may request, when filing the application, that the essential data of the application shall not be published before the expiry of twelve months from the date of filing of the application or, if a priority is claimed, the date of priority. The multiple application can not contain a request for deferment of publication for only some products.
(3) Where the industrial design is two-dimensional, including a textile design or hologram, and a request for deferment of publication is made in accordance with paragraph (2), the application may, instead of containing a photograph or graphical representation of the appearance of the whole or a part of the product, be accompanied by a specimen of that product or the part thereof. The photograph or graphical representation of the product, in the number of copies prescribed by an executive regulation, shall be submitted no later than two months before the expiry of the time limit for requested deferment of publication under paragraph (2). In the opposite case, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Article 95

Substance of requirements of an industrial design application

(1) The request for the registration of an industrial design shall contain data concerning the applicant (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), an indication of the product to which the subject-matter of the application relates, a suggestion for the classification according to the international classification established by Locarno Agreement on International Classification for Industrial Designs of 8 October 1968 (Official Gazette SFRJ-MP, No 51/74, Official Gazette RS-MP, No 9/92), hereinafter referred as "the Locamo Classification", and other data relating to the application which are prescribed by an executive regulation.

(2) An industrial design application may cover several products, provided that they belong to a single class of the Locamo Classification.

(3) The photograph or graphical representation of the appearance of the whole or a part of the product shall clearly show the novelty and the individual character of the appearance of the product for which protection is sought.

Article 96

Examination of requirements for the registration of industrial designs

(1) The Office shall examine whether the design to which the application relates may be protected by an industrial design, subject to provisions of Article 36, but excluding item (b).

(2) Where the Office establishes that the design to which the application relates meets the requirements of paragraph (1), it shall issue a decision on the registration of the industrial design, enter the industrial design in the register and publish the mention of the registration.

(3) Where the Office establishes that the design to which the application relates does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1), it shall refuse the application wholly or in part.

Section IV

Special provisions for marks

Article 97

Requirements of a mark application

(1) A mark application shall contain:

(a) a request for the registration of a mark;

(b) a list of the goods or services for which the protection is sought;

(c) a representation of the sign, in the number of copies prescribed by an executive regulation.
(2) A collective mark application shall contain, besides items listed in paragraph (1), also the regulations referred to in Article 46.
(3) A separate application shall be filed for each sign, however, the registration of the same mark may be requested, in the same application, for several kinds of goods or services. The applicant may also request, on the basis of several applications, the registration of several different or similar marks for the same kind of goods or services.
(4) Any application listing goods or services belonging to two or more classes of the Nice Classification may, during the registration procedure, including administrative litigation, be divided, upon the request of the applicant, into several applications. Each application shall preserve the date of filing of the initial application and, if priority is claimed, the date of priority.

Article 98

Substance of requirements of a mark application

(1) The request for the registration of a mark shall contain data concerning the applicant (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), where the sign is in colours, an indication of colours, where the mark is a three-dimensional mark or a collective mark, a statement to that effect, and other data relating to the application which are prescribed by an executive regulation.
(2) Goods and services shall be classified in the list of goods or services in accordance with the Nice Classification.

Article 99

Examination of absolute requirements for the refusal of a mark

(1) In the examination preceding the publication of a mark application, the Office shall examine whether the sign to which the application relates may be registered as a mark, subject to provisions of Articles 42 and 43. Where the application relates to a collective mark, the Office shall also examine whether the application meets the requirements of Articles 45 and 46.

(2) Where the Office establishes that the sign to which the application relates meets the requirements of paragraph (1), it shall publish the application.
(3) Where the Office establishes that the sign to which the application relates does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1), it shall refuse the application wholly or in part.

Article 100

Opposing observations by third parties

(1) Following the publication of a mark application, any person may present to the
Office observations concerning the registration of a sign, subject to Articles 42 and
43, and shall state the reasons.
(2) The person submitting such observations to the Office shall not be a party to the proceedings before the Office.
(3) The Office shall communicate the observations by third parties referred to in paragraph (1) to the applicant who may comment on them.

Article 101

Opposition against registration of a mark

(1) Within three months following the publication of a mark application, a written notice of opposition to registration of the mark may be filed with the Office by the owner of an earlier mark.
(2) The notice of opposition may only be given on the grounds referred to in Article
44 and shall contain supporting evidence.
(3) The opposition under paragraph (1) may also be filed by the owner of a mark which has been registered in any Member State of the Paris Union or WTO and has been applied for in the Republic of Slovenia by his agent or representative without the owner's consent.
(4) Where the ground for opposition is Article 44(1)(t), a notice of opposition under this Article may also be filed by an owner of the earlier right referred to in Article
44(1)(t).
(5) When filing the opposition, or no later than three months from the receipt of the invitation, the opposition fee shall be paid, and a power of attorney shall be submitted, if the opposition has been filed by a representative.
(6) If the opponent withdraws the opposition, the withdrawal may not be cancelled later on.
(7) If the opposition does not meet requirements under this Article, it shall be deemed not to have been filed.

Article 102

Examination of the application following the opposition

(1) The Office shall notify the applicant for a mark of an opposition filed. The applicant may, within three months from the receipt of the notification, comment on the opposition.
(2) On the basis of the opposition and any observations from the applicant for a mark, the Office shall examine the grounds for the opposition.
(3) Where the examination of the opposition reveals that the opposition is not grounded and that the mark may be registered in respect of the goods or services for which the application has been made, the Office shall refuse the opposition.
(4) Where the examination of the opposition reveals that the opposition is grounded and that the mark may not be registered in respect of all or some of the goods or services for which the application has been made, the Office shall refuse the application wholly or in part.

Article 103

Registration of marks

(1) Where no notice of opposition to registration of the mark has been filed or where opposition has been refused or has been deemed not to have been filed, the Office shall invite the applicant to pay, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, the registration fee which includes the maintenance fee for the first ten years.
(2) Following the payment of the fee referred to in paragraph (1), the Office shall issue a decision on registration of the mark, enter the mark in the register and publish the mention of the registration.
(3) If the applicant fails to pay the fee referred to in paragraph (1) in due time, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Section V

Special provisions for geographical indications

Article 104

Registration of geographical indications

(1) A request for the registration of a geographical indication may be filed by associations of legal or natural persons, chambers, communes, larger local communities or State authorities.
(2) The request under paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by a specification including in particular:
(a) indication to be registered as a geographical indication;
(b) indication of the good to which that geographical indication relates;
(c) a description of the good including the raw materials and principal physical, chemical, microbiological, organoleptic or other characteristics of the good;
(d) indication of location or region, including borders;
(e) a description of the method of obtaining the good and, if necessary, the authentic and unvarying local methods;

(f) details bearing out the link between the good and the location or region; (g) details of inspection structures;

(h) labelling details.
(3) Where the request complies with the provisions of this Article and of Articles 55 and 56, the Office shall issue a decision on the registration of the geographical indication, enter the geographical indication in the register and publish the mention of the registration.
(4) Provisions of this Article shall not apply to geographical indications which have been protected by virtue of Article 55(3).

Chapter VIII

REGISTERS AND MAINTENANCE OF RIGHTS

Article 105

Registers

(1) The Office shall keep registers of patents, supplementary protection certificates, industrial designs, marks and geographical indications, and registers of applications for the above-mentioned rights. Registers shall be open to public inspection, unless otherwise provided by this Act.

(2) The date of the grant of a patent or a supplementary protection certificate, or the date of issuance of a decision on the registration of industrial design, mark or geographical indication shall be considered as the date of entry in the register.
(3) The Office shall deliver extracts from registers on request and against payment of a fee prescribed by the Act regulating administrative fees.
(4) An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall define, in greater detail, the contents of registers, the contents of requests for entry of alterations in registers, the procedure for entry of such alterations, the contents of extracts from registers and the procedure for deliverance of such extracts.
Article 106

Contents of registers

(1) The register of patents shall contain primarily the following entries: registration number, date of filing and number of the application, requested right of priority, date of publication, date of entry in the register, number and date of issuance of the declaratory decision under Article 93, data concerning the owner (name and address), type of the patent, data concerning the inventor (name and address), title of the invention, data concerning the maintenance of the patent, date of lapse of the patent.

(2) The register of supplementary protection certificates shall contain primarily the following entries: registration number, date of filing and number of the application, date of publication of the application and the grant, date of entry in the register, data concerning the applicant and the holder (name and address), title of the product, registration number of the patent on the basis of which the supplementary protection certificate has been granted, number and date of the authorization to place the product on the market in the Republic of Slovenia or on the Community market as a medicinal product or plant protection product, indication of the state, where the authorization has not been issued by a competent Community authority under a centralised procedure, date until which the certificate is effective, data concerning the maintenance of the certificate, date of lapse ofthe certificate.

(3) The register of industrial designs shall contain primarily the following entries: registration number, date of filing of the application, requested right of priority, date of publication, date of entry in the register, data concerning the owner (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), data concerning the designer (surname, forename and address), if the designer so wishes, indication of the product, number of products, classification code according to the Locarno Classification, data concerning the renewal ofthe industrial design, date of lapse ofthe industrial design.

(4) The register of marks shall contain primarily the following entries: registration number, date of filing of the application, requested right of priority, date of publication of the application and the registration, data on opposing observations by third parties, data concerning any opposition and opponent, date of entry in the register, data concerning the owner or holder (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), appearance of the mark, list of goods or services and classification code according to the Nice Agreement, data concerning the international registration, data concerning renewal of the mark, data concerning the cancellation of the mark, date of lapse of the mark.

(5) The register of geographical indications shall contain primarily the following entries: registration number, date of filing of the request, date of publication, date of entry in the register, geographical indication, the kind of the good and the location to which the indication relates.

(6) Information on litigations of which the Office has been notified and final judgements shall be entered ex officio in the registers referred to in Article 105(1).

(7) Provisions of this Article shall apply mutatis mutandis to registers of applications.

Article 107

Entry of alterations in the registers

(1) Upon request, all subsequent alterations regarding a right or the owner of a right shall be entered in the register referred to in Article 105(1). The provisions of this paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis to applications and applicants.

(2) Transfers of rights or licences shall be entered in the corresponding register at the request of one of the parties to the contract.

(3) The person who has been entered in the register as the owner of a right prior to the alteration may, by submitting relevant evidence, contest any alteration which has been unduly entered without his consent, instituting an action in the administrative litigation filed with the Administrative Court of the Republic of Slovenia in Ljubljana, which has exclusive territorial jurisdiction.

Article 108

Procedure for entry of alterations

(1) A single request may relate to more than one alteration in the register. A single request shall also be sufficient where the alteration or alterations relate to more than one application and/or right of the same person, provided that the alteration or alterations are the same for all applications and rights concerned, and the numbers of all applications and rights concerned are indicated in the request.

(2) When filing the request or within three months from the receipt of the invitation, a fee for the entry of each alteration in the register for each application or right shall be paid. If the fee is not paid in due time, the request shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

(3) Where the request for the alteration is filed by the person who has been entered in the register as the owner of a right, the Office shall immediately issue a decision on the entry of alteration and enter such alteration in the register.

(4) Where the request for the alteration is filed by the person who has not been entered in the register as the owner of a right, that person shall submit, when filing the request or within three months from the receipt of the invitation, the consent of the owner of the right for the entry of the requested alteration in the register or, of his own choosing, other documents evidencing the legal basis for the entry of the alteration. Where the Office doubts the veracity of any indication contained in the request for the alteration or if the submitted documents are in a foreign language, it may require that, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, additional documents or a Slovene translation of the submitted documents be furnished.

(5) If the requesting party fails to submit additional documents or their translation requested under paragraph (4) in due time, the request for entry of alterations shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

(6) The Office shall decide on the entry of an alteration by a decision.

Article 109

Renewal fees

(1) The renewal of rights shall be subject to the payment of fees which shall be due, calculated from the date of filing of the application:

(a) in respect of patents, each year for one subsequent year;

(b) in respect of industrial designs, each five years for subsequent five years;

(c) in respect of marks, each ten years for subsequent ten years.
(2) The fees under paragraph (1) shall be paid within twelve months preceding the due date.
(3) The application fee for patents includes the renewal fee for the first three years. The application fee for industrial designs includes the renewal fee for the first five years.
(4) Where the procedure for the grant of a patent lasts more than three years from the date of the filing of the application, or the procedure for the registration of an industrial design more than five years from such date, the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply mutatis mutandis to patent and industrial design applications.

Article 110

Payment of renewal fees in a subsequent time limit

(1) Where a renewal fee has not been paid in accordance with Article 109 on or before the due date, it may still be paid within six months following the due date, provided that the additional fee, amounting to 50 % of the fee which has not been paid in due time, is paid.
(2) The Office shall remind the owner of a right of the failure of due payment of the renewal fee under Article 109(1), of the possibility of payment under paragraph (1) of this Article, and of the consequences of non-payment.
(3) The non-payment of renewal fees in due time or, following the reminder of the Office, within the subsequent time limit referred to in paragraph (1), together with the additional fee, shall entail lapse of the right on the day following the due date referred to in Article 109(1).
(4) Paragraphs(!) and (2) shall apply mutatis mutandis in the cases referred to in Article 109(4). If in such cases the renewal fee and the additional fee have not been paid in the subsequent time limit, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Chapter IX

JUDICIAL PROTECTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF RIGHTS

Section I Judicial protection

Subsection I Nullity of rights

Article 111

Actions for a declaration of nullity

Any interested party may bring an action in the court of competent jurisdiction to declare nullity of a patent, short-term patent, industrial design or mark.

Article 112

Actions for a declaration of nullity of a patent

(1) Actions to declare nullity of a patent may be filed on one or more of the following grounds:

(a) on the date of the filing of the application the invention did not meet all requirements under Articles 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15 or, in the case of a short-term patent, requirements under Article 16;

(b) the invention does not disclose the invention in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it to be carried out by a person skilled in the art to which the invention relates;

(c) the content of the protection extends beyond the content of the first received application or, if the patent was granted on a divisional application, beyond the content of the initial application.

(2) Actions to declare nullity of a patent may also be filed in instances where a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or (b) has already been issued, or where the patent has lapsed.

(3) Where an action to declare nullity of a European patent valid in the Republic of Slovenia pursuant to an international treaty, and which has been the subject of an opposition at the EPO, has been filed during the opposition procedure at the EPO, the court shall interrupt the proceedings until the decision of the EPO on the opposition has become fmal.

Article 113

Actions for a declaration of nullity of an industrial design

Actions to declare nullity of an industrial design may be filed, subject to the date of the filing of the application, on one of the following grounds:

(a) the industrial design has been registered contrary to Article 36;

(b) the applicant for or the owner of the industrial design has not been entitled to an industrial design protection.

Article 114

Actions for a declaration of nullity of a mark

(I) Actions to declare nullity of a mark may be filed where the mark has been registered, subject to the date of the filing of the application, contrary to Article 42 or

43.

(2) Actions to declare nullity of a collective mark may be filed where the collective mark has been registered, subject to the date of filing of the application, contrary to Article 42, 43, 45 or 46.
(3) Where the ground for the action under paragraph (2) is a collective mark which has been registered contrary to Article 46, the court shall reject the action if the holder of the collective mark, prior to the issuance of the court's decision, amends the regulations referred to in Article 46.

Subsection II Contesting of rights

Article 115

Contesting the right to a patent or industrial design

(1) An inventor, his heir or other successor in title may, at any time during the validity of a patent, file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction, requesting that he be declared owner of the patent, if the patent has been granted in the name of a person who is not the inventor, his heir or other successor in title.

(2) The designer, his heir or other successor in title may, at any time during the validity of an industrial design, file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting that he be declared owner of the right, if the industrial design was registered in the name of a person who is not the designer, his heir or other successor in title.
(3) The action referred in paragraphs (1) or (2) may also be filed by a person who is entitled to the rights conferred by a patent or industrial design if the patent was granted or industrial design was registered in the name of the inventor or designer or a third person, which the inventor or the designer unjustifiably authorised that the patent be granted or industrial design be registered in his name.

Article 116

Contesting the right to a mark

(1) Legal or natural persons may file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting the court to decide that a sign which they use in trade for marking their goods or services is identical or similar to a mark used by a third person in marking his goods or services of the same or similar kind and that the sign was generally known as the sign for designation of the goods or services of the legal or natural person before the defendant filed his mark application, and requesting the court to issue a decision declaring the plaintiff to be the owner of the mark.
(2) The court shall rule against the request referred to paragraph (1) if the defendant owner of the mark proves that he had used the contested sign for the same or similar goods or services for as long as or longer than the plaintiff before filing his application.

(3) The action referred to in paragraph (1) may not be filed after the expiry of five­

year period following the date of entry of the mark in the register.

Article 117

Entry in the register of the new owner

(1) Within three months from the receipt of a final judgement that rules favourably on the actions referred to in Articles 115 or 116, the plaintiff may request to be entered in the register as the owner of the patent, industrial design or mark and to be issued a certificate to that effect.

(2) If the successful plaintiff does not submit a request to be entered in the register as the owner of the right within the time limit laid down in paragraph (1), the right shall be ex officio removed from the register.

(3) Any rights a third person has acquired from the person who has been entered in the register as the owner of the right before the judgement referred to in paragraph (1) shall be binding on the new owner if entered in the corresponding register or if correctly applied for the entry before the action was filed.

Subsection III

Right of the inventor or designer to be named

Article 118

Actions for recognition of the right to be named

(1) An inventor or designer may file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting:

(a) that he be named in the application and in all documents;

(b) that a final judgement be published at the defendant's expense.

(2) The action referred in paragraph (1) may be filed at any time during the validity of the patent or industrial design.

Subsection IV

Removal and cancellation of marks

Article 119

Actions for removal of marks from the register

(1) Actions to remove marks from the register and to prohibit the use of signs may be filed with the court of competent jurisdiction on one of the following grounds:

(a) the applicant was acting in bad faith when filing the application;
(b) the mark has been registered, subject to the date of the filing of the application, contrary to Article 44, except in the cases referred to in Article 139;
(c) in consequence of acts or inactivity of the owner, the mark has become the common name in the trade for goods or services in respect of which it is registered;
(d) in consequence of the use made of it by the owner of the mark or with his consent in respect of the goods or services for which it is registered, the mark is liable to mislead the public, particularly as to the nature, quality or geographical origin of those goods or services.
(2) Save the grounds referred to in paragraph (1), actions to remove collective marks from the register and to prohibit the use of signs may be filed on one or more of the following grounds:
(a) the holder of the collective mark ceased to exist;
(b) the collective mark is used contrary to the regulations under Article 46;
(c) the regulations governing use of the collective mark have been amended in such a manner as to contradict Article 46.
(3) The court shall rule against the action filed under paragraph (1)(b) if the defendant proves that the reasons under Article 120 for cancellation of an earlier mark referred to in Article 44 exist.
(4) Where the ground for an action under paragraph (1) or (2) is Article 44(1) (c), (d) or (e), the plaintiff may, instead of the removal of the mark from the register, requests the transfer thereof on his name.
(5) In the case provided for in paragraph (2)(c), Article 114(3) shall apply mutatis mutandis.
(6) The action under paragraph (1)(b) shall not been admissible after the expiry of five-year period following the entry of a right in the register, unless the applicant was acting in bad faith when filing the mark application.
(7) The mark shall be removed from the register as of the date on which the judgement on the removal has become final.

Article 120

Actions for cancellation of marks on account of non-use

(1) Any interested party may file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting cancellation of a mark if, within a continuous period of five years from the date of entry of the right in the register, or the day on which the mark has been seriously and effectively used in the Republic of Slovenia for the last time, the owner
without proper reasons fails to use the mark in connection with the goods or services in respect of which it is registered.
(2) Cancellation of a mark may not be requested where, during the interval between the expiry of the five-year period referred to in paragraph (1) and filing of the action for cancellation, the owner has started or resumed to seriously and effectively use the mark. The commencement or resumption of use within a period of three months preceding the filing of the action which began at the earliest on expiry of the time limit referred to in paragraph (1) shall, however, be disregarded where preparations for the commencement or resumption occur only after the owner becomes aware that the action for cancellation of his mark may be filed.
(3) The owner of the mark shall prove the use of the mark in the cancellation procedure.
(4) Use of the mark with the consent of the owner or by any person who has authority to use it shall be deemed to constitute use by the owner.
(5) A collective mark shall be deemed to be used by the holder where it is used by at least one person who has authority to use it.
(6) The following shall also constitute use of the mark:
(a) use of the mark in a form differing in elements which do not alter the distinctive character of the mark in the form in which it was registered;
(b) affixing of the mark to goods or to the packaging thereof in the Republic of
Slovenia solely for export purposes.
(7) The Office shall cancel the mark as of the day on which the judgement on cancellation has become final for those goods or services for which it is established that the mark has not been used in the territory ofthe Republic of Slovenia.

Section II Enforcement of rights

Article 120a

Capacity to enforce rights

(1) The rights to enforce judicial protection belong, in addition to owners of the right referred to in Articles 18, 37,47 and 58, mutatis mutandis also to:
(a) persons entitled to use a collective mark;
(b) persons entitled to use a geographical indication;
(c) owners of exclusive licence to the extent to which the owner's rights are assigned to them by law or through a legal transaction; and
(d) professional associations established for the protection of industrial property rights to the extent to which the owner's rights are assigned to them by law or through a legal transaction.

Article 121

Actions for infringement of rights

(1) Against a person who encroaches a right listed in Articles 18, 37, 47 or 58 without the owner's consent, the owner of the right may file an action with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting that:

(a) the infringement already commenced and future infringements be prohibited;
(b) the objects of infringement be recalled from the channels of commerce, taking account of the interests of bona fide third parties;
(c) the situation caused by the infringement be rectified;

(c) the objects of infringement be irrevocably removed from the channels of commerce;

(d). the objects of infringement be destroyed;
(e) the means of infringement that are owned by the infringer and intended or used exclusively or principally for infringement be destroyed;

(f) the objects of infringement be surrendered to the plaintiff against the reimbursement of the costs of their production;

(g) the judgment be published.
(2) In deciding on the claims referred to in paragraph (l)(b) to (f.), the court shall take account of the circumstances of the case, in particular proportionality between the seriousness of the infringement and the claim, as well as the interest of the owner of the right to ensure an effective protection of rights.
(3) In proceedings against a person whose services have been used to infringe the right, and the existence of such infringement has already been finally established in proceedings against the third party, the infringement shall be presumed to exist.

Article 121a

Compensation for damage

(1) For infringements under this Act, general rules governing causation of damage shall be applicable, unless otherwise provided by this Act.
(2) The infringer shall pay to the owner of the right damages in the amount to be defined under general rules on compensation for damage, or in the amount which is equal to agreed or customary license fee.

Article 122

Additional provisions governing infringement of patent rights

(1) In the case of infringement of a patent conferring protection on a process for obtaining a new substance, such substance shall be deemed, in the absence of proof to the contrary, to be of an identical composition or identical and made under the protected process. The burden of proof shall be borne by the defendant or alleged infringer whose legitimate interests in protecting his business secrets shall be taken into account.

(2) Where the action under Article 121 refers to infringement of patent rights or a published European patent application requesting protection in the Republic of Slovenia, the court shall interrupt proceedings until the Office issues a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or (b), or until the European patent is entered in the Office's patent register.

(3) In the case of infringement of a patent in respect of which a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or (b) has not yet been issued, the court shall, for the use of invention during the interval between the granting of the patent and the issuance of the declaratory decision, impose on the infringer the payment of compensation reduced with respect to the given circumstances.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall apply mutatis mutandis to a published patent application filed abroad under Article 3(2), for the use of invention during the interval between the publication of the application and the granting of the patent or, where the European patent has been entered in the Office's register, the date on which the EPO published its decision on the grant of the European patent.

Article 122a

Presentation of evidence

(1) If the court decides to take the proposed evidence and that evidence is in the possession of the opposite party, that party shall present such evidence at the request of the court.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall also be applicable for banking, financial and commercial documents under the control of the opposite party if the infringement was committed on a commercial scale. An act shall be deemed to be performed on a commercial scale if it has been performed for direct or indirect economic advantage.

(3) The provisions of the Act regulating civil procedure shall apply to the proceedings for the presentation of evidence, unless otherwise provided by this Act.

(4) After the taking of evidence referred to in paragraph (1), the court shall ensure that confidential information from the parties to the proceedings be protected and that judicial proceedings not be used in bad faith with the sole purpose to obtain confidential information from the opposite party.

Article 123

Provisional measures

(1) The court shall order provisional measures to secure non-monetary claims under this Act if the claimant shows probable grounds for belief that:
(a) he/she is the owner of the right according to Articles 18, 37, 47 and 58; and

(b) his/her right has been infringed or there exists an actual danger to be infringed. (2) The claimant shall also show probable grounds for belief that:

(a) a danger exists that the enforcement of claims will be made impossible or rather difficult;
(b) the adoption of a provisional measure is necessary to avoid damage difficult to repair; or
(c) a provisional measure, which may prove unfounded in the course of the proceeding,s does not have more detrimental consequences for the alleged infringer that would have the non-adoption of such measure for the owner of the right.
(3) The claimant who proposes the order of a provisional measure without prior notification and hearing of the opposite party shall show probable grounds for belief, in addition to the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), that any delay of the order is likely to cause the owner of the right a damage difficult to repair. In that event, the opposite party shall be given notice after the execution of the order at the latest.
(4) The owner of the right shall not be obliged to prove the existence of a danger that the enforcement of claims will be made impossible or rather difficult if he/she shows probable grounds for belief that the proposed provisional measure would cause the infringer only insignificant damage. The danger shall be deemed to exist when the claims are to be enforced abroad, with the exception of Member States of the European Union.
(5) The court may order any provisional measure to secure non-monetary claims referred to in paragraph (1), with which the purpose of security can be achieved, in particular:
(a) to interdict to the alleged infringer the continuation of infringement already commenced and future infringements;
(b) to seize, exclude from circulation and take into custody the objects of infringement and the means of infringement that are intended or used exclusively or principally for infringement.
(6) The court shall decide on the opposition against a decision on the adoption of a provisional measure within 30 days following the filing of the answer to the opposition, or by the end of the time limit set for the filing of the answer to the opposition.

(7) The provisions of the Act regulating execution of judgements and insurance of claims shall apply to the proceedings for the adoption of provisional measures, unless otherwise provided by this Act. Proceedings shall be expeditious.

Article 123a

Order for provisional measures in patent infringements

Where the proposal for order of a provisional measure referred to in Article 123 relates to a patent infringement, the court shall order the provisional measure if also the following two conditions are fulfilled:

(a) that the owner of the right submits a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or

(b); and

(b) that the owner of the right proposes the order of provisional measure within three months after he has learned of the alleged infringement.

Article 124

Preservation of evidence

(1) The court shall issue an order to preserve evidence if the owner of the right presents reasonably available evidence that:

(a) he/she is the owner of the right according to Articles 18, 37, 47 and 58;

(b) his/her right has been infringed or there exists an actual danger to be infringed;

and

(c) evidence of infringement will be destroyed or that it will be impossible to take such evidence at a later time.

(2) The owner of the right who requests the order to preserve evidence without prior notification and hearing of the opposite party shall show probable grounds for belief, in addition to the requirements of paragraph (1), that there is a danger of evidence of infringement being destroyed as the result of conduct of the opposite party or that it will be impossible to take such evidence at a later time. In that event, the opposite party shall be given notice after the execution of the order at the latest.

(3) The court may issue the order referred to in paragraph (1) to take any evidence, and in particular:

(a) to inspect places, business records, inventory, databases, computer memory units or other things;

(b) to seize samples ofthe objects of infringement; (c) to examine and seize documents;

(d) to appoint and examine experts; and

(e) to examine witnesses.
(4) Preservation of evidence may be requested even after the decision by which the proceedings are completed has become final, if this is necessary before or during the proceedings with extraordinary remedies.
(5) The provisions concerning provisional measures of the Act regulating execution of judgements and insurance of claims shall apply mutatis mutandis to the proceedings for preservation of evidence under this Article, unless otherwise provided by this Act. Proceedings shall be expeditious.
(6) Where it is subsequently found that the request for preservation of evidence has been unfounded or that the owner of the right has not justified it, the opposite party shall have the right to claim:
(a) the return of the seized objects;
(b) the prohibition of the use of information obtained; and
(c) the compensation for damage.
(7) In the proceedings for preservation of evidence in accordance with this Article, the court shall ensure that confidential information from the parties be protected and that judicial proceedings not be used in bad faith with the sole purpose to obtain confidential information from the opposite party.

Article 124a

Preservation of evidence in patent infringements

Where the proposal for order to preserve evidence referred to in Article 124 relates to a patent infringement, the court shall issue the order if also the following two conditions are fulfilled:
(a) that the owner of the right submits a declaratory decision under Article 93(1)(a) or

(b); and

(b) that the owner of the right proposes the order of provisional measure within three months after he has learned of the alleged infringement.

Article 124b

Duty to provide information

(1) In the proceedings concerning the infringement of rights the court may, upon a justified request of the party, order that information on the origin and distribution networks of the goods or services which infringe a right under this Act be provided by the alleged infringer.
(2) The court may order that information referred to in paragraph (1) be provided also by persons who:
(a) possess the infringing goods on a commercial scale;

(b) use the infringing services on a commercial scale; or

(c).provide on a commercial scale services used in an infringing activity.
(3) The court may order that information referred to in paragraph (1) be provided also by the person who was indicated by any person referred to in paragraph (2) as being involved in the production, manufacture or distribution of the infringing goods or the provision of the infringing services.

(4) The information referred to in paragraph (1) may comprise:

(a) the names and addresses of the producers, manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and other previous holders of the goods or services, as well as the intended wholesalers and retailers; and
(b) information on the quantities produced, manufactured, delivered, received or ordered, as well as the price obtained for the goods or services in question.

Article 124c

Protection of other industrial property rights

The provisions of this Section shall apply mutatis mutandis to trade names and plant variety rights.

Chapter X COMPULSORY LICENCES

Article 125

Compulsory licences

(1) The court may decide that a third party or the Government of the Republic of

Slovenia exploit the invention without the authorisation of the owner of the patent:
(a) where the public interest concerning, in particular, national security, nutrition, health or the development of other vital sectors of the national economy so requires, or

(b) where the court has determined that the owner of the patent or his licensee abuses the patent rights, in particular where the manner of exploitation, contrary to the adopted regulations, restrains competition.

(2) The court shall grant compulsory licences under paragraph (1) with regard to given circumstances and after hearing the owner of the patent.
(3) Compulsory licences under paragraph (1) shall be granted provided that the person filing the request proves that he has made efforts to conclude a licence contract with

the owner of the patent on reasonable commercial terms and that such efforts failed to succeed within a reasonable period of time.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply if a state of war or similar state of emergency has been declared. Nevertheless, the owner of the patent shall be notified of the decision of the court as soon as reasonably practicable.

Article 126

Conditions for granting compulsory licences

(1) Compulsory licences under Article 125 shall be granted under the following conditions:

(a) scope and duration shall be limited with regard to their purpose; (b) they shall be non-exclusive;

(c) they shall be non-transferable, with the exception of the part of the enterprise or business of the licence owner to which the licence refers;

(d) they shall be granted primarily for the supply of the market of the Republic of

Slovenia.

(2) Where a patent, hereinafter referred to as "the second patent", cannot be exploited without infringing another patent, hereinafter referred to as "the first patent", the following conditions, in addition to those of Article 125 and paragraph (1) above, for the grant of compulsory licence in respect of the first patent shall be met:

(a) the invention claimed in the second patent shall involve a technical advance of considerable economic significance compared to the invention claimed in the first patent;

(b) the owner of the first patent shall under reasonable conditions be entitled to a cross-licence to use the invention claimed in the second patent;

(c) the use authorised in respect of the first patent shall not be transferable except with the simultaneous transfer of the second patent.

(3) The court shall decide that a compulsory licence expire if the circumstances which led to it being granted have ceased to exist and are unlikely to recur.

Article 127

Remuneration for compulsory licences

(1) Owners of patents under a compulsory licence shall be entitled to remuneration.

(2) The amount of the remuneration shall be determined with regard to the circumstances of each case and taking into account the economic value of the compulsory licence.

Chapter XI REPRESENTATION

Article 128

Representation before the Office

(1) Only representatives whose names have been entered in the corresponding register of representatives maintained by the Office shall be authorised to act before the Office. The representative shall be appointed in a power of attorney which shall be in writing.

(2) The party making the appointment may appoint one or several representatives for all or only for certain acts in the proceedings before the Office. If several representatives are appointed and the party does not name one to whom the Office should address notifications, they shall be addressed to the representative who is named first.

(3) The party making the appointment may, in a general power of attorney, authorise a representative for acts in respect of all applications, rights and requests filed with the Office. If the general power of attorney has been deposited with the Office, its reference number shall be indicated, and its copy attached, when filing any request with the Office.

(4) The power of attorney shall be submitted when filing the request or within three months from the receipt of the invitation. If the power of attorney is not submitted in due time, the representative is deemed not to have been appointed and his acts not to have been carried out. The request filed by the alleged representative shall be rejected by an order of the Office. The order on rejection shall be served on the alleged representative.

Article 129

Representation of foreign persons

(1) Foreign natural and legal persons having neither residence nor real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the Republic of Slovenia, hereinafter referred to as "foreign persons", shall assert their rights under this Act in proceedings before the Office through a representative, unless otherwise provided by an international treaty which is binding on the Republic of Slovenia.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) and subject to paragraph (3), a foreign person may file applications, perform acts relating to the establishment of the filing date, pay fees in the proceedings before the Office, file copies of first applications when claiming the right of priority under Article 61, and receive notifications by the Office relating to those proceedings, without a representative.

(3) If a foreign person, in cases referred to in paragraph (2), does not have a representative in the proceedings before the Office, he shall communicate to the Office an address for correspondence which shall be in the territory of the Republic of

Slovenia. Any notification referred to in paragraph (2) which the Office sends to the address for correspondence shall be deemed to be a sufficient notification.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a renewal fee may be paid by any person.

(5) If a foreign person, contrary to this Article, does not appoint a representative in the proceedings before the Office, or does not communicate an address for correspondence which is in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, the Office shall exceptionally invite him directly by post to appoint, within three months from the receipt of the invitation, a representative and submit a power of attorney or, in accordance with paragraph (3), communicate an address for correspondence. If a foreign person does not appoint a representative and does not submit a power of attorney or, in accordance with paragraph (3), communicate an address for correspondence in due time, the Office shall reject any request by order, unless otherwise provided by this Act. The order shall be announced on the notice board of the Office.

Article 130

Revocation and renunciation of a power of attorney

(1) The party making the appointment may, at any time, revoke the power of attorney, and the representative may, at any time, renounce his appointment.

(2) The revocation or renunciation shall be communicated to the Office and shall be effective as from the date of receipt by the Office. If the representative has renounced his appointment, he shall continue, for three months, to perform acts for the party who has appointed him, unless the party has another representative.

(3) If due to the revocation or renunciation a foreign person remains without a representative, Article 129(5) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 131

Representatives

(1) Parties may be represented in proceedings before the Office by patent agents and by industrial design and mark agents. Patent agents shall represent parties to proceedings relating to the acquisition and maintenance of any right under this Act and other requests concerning such rights. Industrial design and mark agents shall only represent parties to proceedings relating to the acquisition and maintenance of industrial designs, marks and geographical indications and other requests concerning those rights.

(2) Patent agents may be:

(a) persons, resident in the Republic of Slovenia, who have completed university studies in technology or science and have passed the qualifying examination for a patent agent at the Office;

(b) lawyers or law firms, employing on a regular or contractual basis a person who fulfils the conditions laid down in sub-paragraph (a);

(c) legal persons, having their seat in the Republic of Slovenia, employing at least one person who fulfils the conditions laid down in sub-paragraph (a).

(3) Industrial design and mark agents may be:

(a) persons, resident in the Republic of Slovenia, who have completed university studies and have passed the qualifying examination for industrial design and mark agents at the Office;

(b) lawyers or law firms;

(c) legal persons, having their seat in the Republic of Slovenia, who employ at least one person who fulfils the conditions laid down in sub-paragraph (a).

(4) Parties to proceedings relating to rights under this Act may be represented by patent agents and industrial design and mark agents also before courts and other State authorities, provided that they fulfil the conditions laid down in regulations governing representation before courts and other State authorities, and by an authorised person employed by such agents, provided that he is a national of the Republic of Slovenia, that he has graduated in law at the university in the Republic of Slovenia or has acquired a foreign law degree recognized by the Republic of Slovenia, that he has passed the lawyer's state examination, that he has a professional experience of at least five years and a good command of the Slovene language. In such cases, the agent is entitled to be paid for his work in the amount fixed by the agent's price list, and to have his costs refunded by the opposing party. The agent's price list shall be adopted by agent or association of agents with the consent of the Minister competent for justice.

Article 132

Entry of agents in the register

(1) The Office shall keep the register of patent agents and the register of industrial design and mark agents.

(2) A fee prescribed by the Act regulating administrative fees shall be paid for entry in the register. Following the payment of the fee, the Office shall issue the decision on the entry.

(3) A patent agent may request that he be removed from the register of patent agents and entered in the register of industrial design and mark agents. An industrial design and mark agent may request that he be removed from the register of industrial design and mark agents and entered in the register of patent agents only if he fulfils the requirements of Article 131(2).

(4) Agents shall be removed from the register if: (a) they file a request for removal;

(b) they are barred by a final judgement from acting as representatives.

(5) The following data in particular shall be entered in the register: registration number of the representative, data on the representative (surname, forename and address, or firm and seat), date of entry in the register and data on persons who fulfil the conditions under Article 131(2)(a) or (3)(a) and are employed by the agent on a regular or contractual basis (surname, forename, address and education).

(6) An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall define, in greater detail, the contents of the requests for entry in the register of agents, proceedings relating to such entries, data to be entered in the register and proceedings relating to entries of alterations.

Article 133

Qualifying examinations

(1) The Office shall conduct qualifying examinations under Article 131(2) and (3). A fee prescribed by the Act regulating administrative fees shall be paid before the examination.

(2) The Office shall keep a list of persons who have passed the qualifying examination.

(3) An executive regulation issued by the Minister competent for the field of industrial property shall defme, in greater detail, the manner of conducting qualifying examinations under Article 131(2) and (3).

Chapter XU PENAL PROVISIONS

Article 134

Offences

(1) By a fine of SIT 100,000 to 10,000,000 shall be punishable for an offence any legal person who:

(a) uses, in the course of trade, the signs referred to in Article 43(3) without the consent ofthe Government of the Republic of Slovenia;

(b) submits to the Office a false or untrue evidence referred to in Article 92, or request an interruption of the proceeding referred to in Article 92(3) by a false or untrue communication;

(c) represents a third person in the proceedings before the Office without being entered in the register referred to in Article 132.

(2) By a fine of SIT 10,000 to 500,000 shall be punishable the person responsible within the legal person for any offence referred to in paragraph (1).

(3) By a fme of not more than SIT 150,000 shall be punishable natural persons for any offence referred to in paragraph (1).

ChapterXlli

TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 135

The use of substances as medicine

(1) The use of substances as medicine for humans and animals shall not be deemed to constitute infringement of a patent for invention of such substances if the corresponding patent application was filed on or before December 31, 1992, or if a right of priority was claimed for the application on or before December 31, 1992.

(2) By the use of substance as a medicine within the meaning of paragraph (1) is meant its production and processing into the medicine under a process which is not the subject-matter of a relevant patent protection, and marketing of this substance or medicine.
(3) Following the accession of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union, Article 21(2) shall apply to substance or medicine referred to in paragraph (1) only if the consent of the owner of the patent under which such substance or medicine is protected has been obtained.

Article 136

Treatment of applications and validity of rights

(1) Procedures concerning the registration and grant of industrial property rights with respect to applications filed before the date of entry into force of this Act shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of this Act, unless otherwise provided by this Act.
(2) The industrial property rights which are valid on the date of entry into force of this Act shall continue to be valid according to the provisions of this Act, unless otherwise provided by this Act.

Article 137

Patent applications and patents

(I) The provisions of Articles 10, 77, 78 and 112 of the Law on Industrial Property
(Official Gazette RS No 13/92, 27/93, 34/97 - Decision by Constitutional Court,
75/97) shall continue to apply to patents applied for or granted prior to entry into force of this Act.
(2) The provisions of Article 22(2) and (3) of this Act shall apply to patents applied for after 1 January 1993.
(3) From the date of accession of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union, Article 22(3) of this Act shall apply in accordance with the regulations of the European Union.
(4) Within six months following the accession of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union, a supplementary protection certificate may be requested for patents applied for after 1 January 1993, and for which the time limit referred to in Article 7 ofthe EU Regulation No 1768/92 of 18 June 1992, or Article 7 of the EU Regulation No 1610/96 of23 June 1996, expired.
(5) The provisions of Articles 24 to 31 of this Act shall begin to apply on entry into force of the EPC for the Republic of Slovenia.
(6) The provision of Article 32(6) of this Act shall not apply to applications under the
PCT which have been filed prior to entry into force of this Act.

Article 138

Industrial design applications and industrial designs

(1) Article 58 of the Law on Industrial Property shall continue to apply to industrial designs published prior to entry into force of this Act, and for which opposition against the issuance of the decision on the registration has been filed.
(2) Where an industrial design application has been published prior to entry into force of this Act, and opposition against the issuance of the decision on the registration under Article 58 of the Law on Industrial Property has not been filed, the Office shall issue the decision on the registration of the industrial design, enter it in the register and publish the mention of the registration.
(3) Industrial designs valid on the date of entry into force of this Act shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Article 139

Opposition on the basis of a mark applied for or registered with the Office for

Harmonisation in the Internal Market (trade marks and designs)

(1) Prior to the accession of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union, a mark which was applied for or registered with the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (trade marks and designs) before the date of application for or registration of the later mark in the Republic of Slovenia shall also be deemed to be an earlier mark under Article 44(1).

(2) The owner of the earlier mark referred to in paragraph (1) may file an opposition under Article 101, provided that he files, within the time limit provided for the opposition, a correct application for his mark in the Republic of Slovenia.
(3) If the owner of the earlier mark referred to in paragraph (1), when filing an opposition under Article 101, does not file in due time also a correct application for his mark in the Republic of Slovenia, the opposition shall be deemed not to have been filed.

Article 140

Appellations of origin

Appellations of origin valid on the date of entry into force of this Act shall be dealt with as geographical indications under this Act, unless otherwise provided for by another act.

Article 141

Qualifying examinations and agents

(1) Qualifying examinations passed or recognised up to the date of entry into force of this Act shall be treated as qualifying examinations for patent agents and qualifying examinations for industrial design and mark agents.
(2) The Office shall ex officio enter in the register of patent agents all representatives who have been entered in the register of representatives by the date of entry into force of this Act.

Article 142

Executive regulations

(1) Executive regulations under this Act and order on the tariff referred to in Article

7(3) shall be issued within six months following the entry into force of this Act, with the exception of the regulation referred to in Article 80(2) which shall be issued after the Office will have had the necessary technical facilities.
(2) Prior to the issuance of new regulations, the following regulations issued under the
Law on Industrial Property shall apply mutatis mutandis:
(a) Regulations governing grant of patents (Official Gazette RS No 49/93);
(b) Regulations governing registration of industrial designs (Official Gazette RS No
49/93, 37/95- Decision by Constitutional Court);
(c) Regulations governing registration of marks (Official Gazette RS No 49/93);
(d) Regulations governing international registration of marks (Official Gazette RS No
15/93);
(e) Regulations governing qualifying examinations and entry in the register of representatives (Official Gazette RS No 20/92);

(f) Regulation governing fees for acquisition and protection of industrial property rights prescribed by the Slovene Intellectual Property Office (Official Gazette RS No

14/95);
(g) Regulation governing fees for information and other services provided by the
Slovene Intellectual Property Office (Official Gazette RS No 57/96).

Article 143

Termination of validity

(1) On the date of entry into force ofthis Act, (a) Law on Industrial Property, and

(b) Regulations governing transfer of industrial property rights applied for at the Federal Patent Office in Belgrade to the Slovene Intellectual Property Office (Official Gazette RS No 49/93)

shall cease to apply.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (l)(a) and subject to Articles 137(1) and 138(1) of this Act, the provisions of Articles 10, 58, 77, 78 and 112 of the Law on Industrial Property shall continue to apply.

Article 144

Entry into force

This Act shall enter into force after the expiry of six-month period following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

of the Act of 6 February 2006 Amending the Industrial Property Act

Article 23

Pending proceedings

Proceedings which are pending pursuant to Chapter IX at the time when this Act becomes effective shall be terminated according to the provisions of this Act applicable hitherto.

Article 24

This Act shall enter into force on the fifteenth day following its publication in the

Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.