Trademark registration, copyright, patents, trade secrets and IP litigation.
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EU trademark registration (EUTM) covers all 27 EU member states in a single filing. For non-EU countries, separate national registrations or Madrid Protocol filings are needed.
EU trademarks typically take 4–6 months if unopposed. A lawyer can handle the filing, respond to office actions and monitor for infringement.
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Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsRegistration costs, enforcement tools and key rules under the Codice della Proprietà Industriale (D.Lgs. 30/2005) and L. 633/1941 (copyright).
| IP Right | Filing Fee (UIBM) | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marchio italiano (Italian trademark) | €101 (1st class) + €34 each additional class | 10 years (renewable indefinitely) | Online via UIBM portal; 3-month opposition period |
| Marchio UE (EUTM via EUIPO) | €850 (1 class) + €50 (2nd class) + €150 (each further) | 10 years (renewable) | Covers all 27 EU member states |
| Marchio internazionale (Madrid Protocol) | CHF 653 base + CHF 100 per class + country fees | 10 years | Via UIBM as office of origin; WIPO administers |
| Brevetto italiano (national patent) | €120 filing + €50 search fee (if not EPO) + annual maintenance fees (€30–€650/year) | 20 years | Exam conducted by EPO on behalf of UIBM; 12-month priority window |
| Brevetto europeo (EPO) | €1,620 filing + €1,705 examination + validation fees per country | 20 years | Validated in Italy via UIBM; UPC opt-out possible |
| Modello di utilità (utility model) | €52 filing | 10 years | Lower threshold than patent; no inventive step required |
| Disegno/Modello industriale (design) | €51 (1 design) + €25 per additional design | 5 years × 5 renewals = 25 years max | EUIPO design (RCD) alternative: €350 for first design |
| Diritto d'autore (copyright) | €0 (automatic on creation) | Life + 70 years | No registration required; SIAE voluntary deposit for evidence |
| Tool | Procedure | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Descrizione (description / inspection) | Ex parte court order allowing avvocato + technical expert to inspect/photograph infringing goods; CPI art. 128 | 24–72 hours |
| Sequestro cautelare (seizure) | Urgent seizure of infringing goods at customs, warehouse or point of sale; CPI art. 129 | 24–48 hours |
| Inibitoria cautelare (interim injunction) | Order to stop infringing activity; damages + penalty per day of non-compliance; CPI art. 131 | 3–10 days (inaudita altera parte) |
| Azione di merito (main action) | Full trial at Tribunale delle Imprese (specialised IP court in major cities); damages, disgorgement, destruction | 2–4 years |
| Dogana (customs border measures) | EU Regulation 608/2013; UIBM registered rights eligible; goods seized at border for 10 days pending action | 10-day suspension |
Italian copyright (diritto d'autore) arises automatically on creation. Key distinctions from common law copyright:
| Topic | Italian Rule |
|---|---|
| Moral rights (diritti morali) | Inalienable and perpetual — cannot be waived or transferred even by contract (L. 633/1941 artt. 20–24) |
| Software copyright | Protected as literary work; economic rights: reproduction, translation, distribution, rental (artt. 64-bis–64-quater) |
| Work for hire | Employer owns economic rights for works created in employment; moral rights remain with author always |
| SIAE registration | Voluntary; SIAE manages collective rights and distributes royalties for music, literary works, drama, visual art |
| Collecting societies | SIAE (main), SCF (record producers/performers), Nuovo IMAIE (performers), IPEX (publishers) |
Sources: D.Lgs. 30/2005 (Codice della Proprietà Industriale — CPI); L. 633/1941 (diritto d'autore); EU Regulation 608/2013 (customs enforcement); EUIPO Fee Regulation (EU) 2024/1140; UPC Agreement 2013 (in force June 2023).
