Bosnia and Herzegovina

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area: 51,129 sq. km.

Population: 3,531,159 (2024).

Capital: Sarajevo.

Language: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian.

Currency: Bosnian Convertible Mark.

 

GENERAL REMARKS

Bosnia and Herzegovina used to be part of former Yugoslavia and declared its independence on March 1, 1992. The Intellectual Property Office was established in October 1992 as a department of the Institute for Standards, Metrology and Intellectual Property.

 

 

PATENTS OF INVENTION

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Patents (Official Gazette “Sl. glasnik BiH” No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since March 1, 1992.
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), since September 7, 1996.
• Extension to European Patent (according to Agreement of Cooperation), since December 1, 2004.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• 2 copies of patent specification, abstract (max. 150 words), drawings;
• Priority document (if any), to be filed within three months from the filing date; a translation is required; no legalization.

 

REMARKS

National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I: 34 months; under Chapter II: 34 months.

Validity: Consensual Patent, issued after formal examination: valid for 10 years; Patent, issued after substantial examination: valid for 20 years.

Annuities: are due starting from the first and each following year for patent applications and patents counting from the filing date (or international filing date for PCT applications).

Opposition: not provided for, but interested parties can notify the Intellectual Property Office about the existence of an identical or similar invention.

 

 

TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Trademarks (Official Gazette “Sl. glasnik BiH” No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since March 1, 1992.
• Madrid Agreement, since June 2, 1993.
• Madrid Protocol, since January 27, 2009.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• 2 black and white prints (max 8 x 8 cm). If the mark is in color, 2 color prints and 2 black and white prints (8 x 8 cm);
• List of goods and services; grouped according to the international classification;
• Priority document, if any.

 

REMARKS

Kinds of protection: verbal, pictorial, three-dimensional and other designations or their combination. Certification marks and service marks are registrable.

Classification: International.

Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period after the publication date or the last date of use may lead to cancellation.

Duration – renewals: 10-year period after the filing date; renewable for further periods of 10 years.

Opposition: to be filed within 3 months from the publication date.

 

 

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Industrial Designs (Official Gazette “Sl. glasnik BiH” No. 53, June 29, 2010), in force since January 1, 2011.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since March 1, 1992.
• Hague Agreement, Geneva Act, since December 24, 2008.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• Optional description of the design, optional description of how it differs from other designs and its purpose;
• 3 sets of photographs or formal drawings (min. size 3 x 3 cm, max. size 16 x 16 cm, of professional quality);
• 3 sets of photographs/formal drawings are required for each individual design in a series application;
• Priority document (if any), to be filed within three months from the filing date; a translation is required (if not in English), no legalization.

 

REMARKS

Duration – renewals: after formal and complete examination: 5 years from the filing date; renewable four times for additional 5 years.

Opposition: to be filed within 3 months from the publication date.

 

 

DOMAIN NAMES

LEGAL BASIS

Regulations on Registration and Use of Domain Names under Country Top Level Name .BA

 

FILING

• ccTLD: .ba
• Applicant: individuals and legal entities.
• Local Presence: not required. If a foreign legal entity does not have a local representative office then it has to appoint a legal entity or an individual with a local presence.

 

REMARKS

Duration – renewals: one to five years, renewable for like periods.

Uniform dispute resolution procedure: none.

 

 

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