Bulgarian PTO Publishes Draft Ordinance on Industrial Property Representatives

The Bulgarian Patent Office has released for public consultation a draft Ordinance on Industrial Property Representatives to be adopted by the Council of Ministers.

If adopted, the draft Ordinance would regulate the profession of IP representatives. It specifies the requirements for obtaining the necessary qualifications and for providing such services. Most notably, the Ordinance would make it possible for foreign IP representatives to exercise the profession in Bulgaria in compliance with the requirements of EU Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the internal market, and would also introduce mandatory professional insurance. The Ordinance would also recognize partnerships of IP representatives for the first time in Bulgarian legislation.

The draft arrives following an unsuccessful attempt to pass a bill on IP representatives in Parliament in 2015. The bill provided for a more comprehensive regulation of the profession through the introduction of self-regulation through a Chamber of IP Representatives and through disciplinary liability, among other measures. Although the draft bill successfully passed the first reading, it has been stalled in Parliament since November 2015.

Prepared by: Dimitar Batakliev

For more information, please contact bulgaria@petosevic.com.

Source: Bulgarian Patent Office