Slovenia

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area: 20,251 sq. km.

Population: 2,099,790 (2023).

Capital: Ljubljana.

Language: Slovenian.

Currency: Euro.

 

GENERAL REMARKS

Slovenia used to be a part of Yugoslavia and declared its independence on June 25, 1991.

Member of the European Union as of May 1, 2004.

 

PATENTS OF INVENTION

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Act, valid as of November 18, 2006 and November 27, 2013, last amendments in force since December 1, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 25, 1991.
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), since March 1, 1994.
• European Patent Convention, since December 1, 2002

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• Description and claims to be translated;
• Abstract of max. 150 words;
• Drawings (A4 format), clear black lines on white paper.

 

REMARKS

National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I: 31 months; under Chapter II: 31 months.

Validity: issued after a formal examination, and valid for 20 years, provided that prior to the ninth year of validity, written evidence that the invention satisfies the novelty and inventive level requirements is presented.

Annuities: are due for the fourth and each subsequent year in advance on the anniversary of the filing date.

Opposition: not provided for.

 

 

TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Act, valid as of November 18, 2006 and November 27, 2013, last amendments in force since December 1, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 25, 1991.
• Madrid Agreement, since June 25, 1991.
• Madrid Protocol, since March 12, 1998.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• If the mark is other than a word in block lettering, 1 image of the mark in JPG format;
• List of goods and/or services, grouped according to the International Classification.

 

REMARKS

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

Classification: International.

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

Duration – renewals: 10-year period after the filing date or last renewal date.

Opposition: can be filed against the mark within three months after publication by the owner of an earlier mark on relative grounds

 

 

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS

LEGAL BASIS

• Industrial Property Act, valid as of November 18, 2006 and November 27, 2013, last amendments in force since December 1, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, since June 25, 1991.
• Hague Agreement, since January 13, 1995, Geneva Act, since December 23, 2003.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Power of Attorney (no legalization);
• 3 sets of photographs (min. 3 x 3 cm, max. 16 x 16 cm, black and white, of professional quality) or formal drawings (A4, suitable for reproduction).

 

REMARKS

Duration – renewals: after formal examination: up to 25 years from the filing date. Renewal every five years before the corresponding anniversary of the filing date.

Opposition: not provided for

 

 

DOMAIN NAMES

LEGAL BASIS

• On November 15, 2024, the General Terms and Conditions for the country code top-level domain name .si were adopted by ARNES (Academic and Research Network of Slovenia). Domain name disputes are governed by the Rules on the alternative domain name dispute resolution procedure for .si top-level domains (ARDS Rules of procedure) at ARNES.

 

FILING

• ccTLD: .si
• Applicant: individuals and legal entities.
• Local presence: not required

 

REMARKS

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

Uniform dispute resolution procedure: available (variation of UDRP) before ARNES.

 

 

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