Albania
Albania is a member of the Paris Convention, the European Patent Convention (EPC), the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid Agreement and Protocol for trademarks, and the Hague and Locarno Agreements for industrial designs. Trademarks are protected for 10 years (renewable), patents for 20 years, and industrial designs for up to 25 years. The .al country code domain is open to all applicants without local presence requirements for top-level domains. This page covers the filing requirements, legal basis, and key deadlines for protecting intellectual property in Albania.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Area: 28,748 sq. km.
Population: 3,107,100 (2024).
Capital: Tirana.
Language: Albanian.
Currency: Lek.
GENERAL REMARKS
Albania is a mountainous country, bounded by Montenegro and Kosovo in the north, North Macedonia in the east, Greece in the south and by the Adriatic Sea in the west.
PATENTS OF INVENTION
LEGAL BASIS
- Law on Industrial Property, No. 9947, dated July 7, 2008, in force since February 15, 2009.
- Law No. 10/2013, dated February 2, 2013, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, aligning with EU Directives.
- Law No. 55/2014, dated May 29, 2014, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, aligning with EU Directives.
- Law No. 17/2017, dated February 2, 2017, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, in force since March 25, 2017.
- Law No. 96/2021, dated July 7, 2021, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, in force since August 22, 2021.
- Law No. 53/2025 on Patents, Utility Models and Supplementary Protection Certificates, published in the Official Gazette on August 1, 2025, in force since August 16, 2025. (This law is fully harmonized with EU directives and regulations.)
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, since October 4, 1995.
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), since February 2, 1996.
- European Patent Convention, since May 1, 2010.
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Power of attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal);
- Specification (including description and claims) with abstracts: 2 copies for translation into Albanian;
- Drawings;
- Priority document, if priority is claimed, only on request of the Patent Office.
REMARKS
National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I and II: 31 months.
Validity: patent issued after formal examination only – valid for 20 years.
Annuities: must be paid beginning from the third year from the date of filing the application.
Objections: can be filed with the Patent Office within 9 months from the date of publication of the granted patent.
TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS
LEGAL BASIS
- Law No. 52/2025 on Trademarks, published in the Official Gazette on August 1, 2025, in force since August 16, 2025. (This law is fully harmonized with EU directives and regulations.)
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, since October 4, 1995.
- Madrid Agreement, since October 4, 1995.
- Madrid Protocol, since July 30, 2003.
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Power of attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal);
- A representation of the trademark;
- Priority document, if any.
REMARKS
Kinds of protection: a trademark may be any sign, in particular words, including personal names or designs, letters, numbers, colors, the form of goods or their packaging, or sounds, provided that those signs are capable of (a) distinguishing the goods or services of a natural or legal person from those of another natural or legal person; (b) being represented in the Register in such a way as to enable the competent authorities and the public to determine clearly and accurately the object of protection recognized to its owner.
Classification: International.
Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. If not used, without good reasons, within any five-year period after the registration (or last use) date, the mark can be cancelled upon request of an interested party; nominal use (advertising, publications) is accepted in absence of actual use.
Duration – renewals: 10-year period after the filing date or last renewal date.
Opposition: provided for published applications, within a three-month period; a registered trademark can be cancelled by any interested party during the entire period of validity through a request to the Chamber for cancellation/invalidation or in court.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
LEGAL BASIS
- Law on Industrial Property, No. 9947, dated July 7, 2008, in force since February 15, 2009.
- Law No. 10/2013, dated February 2, 2013, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, aligning with EU Directives.
- Law No. 55/2014, dated May 29, 2014, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, aligning with EU Directives.
- Law No. 17/2017, dated February 2, 2017, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, in force since March 25, 2017.
- Law No. 96/2021, dated July 7, 2021, on Amendments and Additions to the Law No. 9947, in force since August 22, 2021.
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, since October 4, 1995.
- Hague Agreement, Stockholm Act since March 19, 2007, and Geneva Act since May 19, 2007.
- Locarno Agreement, since January 16, 2019.
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Power of attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal);
- Drawings, scheme or sample;
- Description of the design;
- Identity of the creator(s);
- If priority is claimed, precise identifications of the priority claim.
REMARKS
Duration: after formal examination: 5 years. Renewable up to 25 years.
Opposition: provided (as for trademarks).
DOMAIN NAMES
LEGAL BASIS
There is no specific legislation on country code top-level domain names.
FILING
- ccTLD: .al
- Applicant: individuals and legal entities.
- Local Presence: no longer required for top-level .al domains, however, for the sub-domains .com.al; .edu.al; .gov.al; .org.al; .net.al and .mil.al local presence is still required.
REMARKS
Duration – renewals: one to ten years, renewable.
Uniform dispute resolution procedure: none.
Frequently Asked Questions — IP Protection in Albania
What documents are required to register a trademark in Albania?
To register a trademark in Albania, the following documents are required: a Power of Attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal), a representation of the trademark, and a priority document if any. Trademark registration is governed by Law No. 52/2025, fully harmonized with EU directives and regulations.
Can I register a trademark in Albania through the international Madrid System?
Albania is a member of the Madrid Agreement (since 1995) and the Madrid Protocol (since 2003), so international registration via WIPO is also possible.
What kinds of trademarks may be registered in Albania?
In Albania, a trademark may be any sign — in particular words (including personal names), designs, letters, numbers, colors, the form of goods or their packaging, or sounds — provided that the sign is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of another, and of being represented in the Register in a way that allows the competent authorities and the public to clearly and accurately determine the object of protection.
How long is the trademark opposition period in Albania?
Three months from publication of the trademark application.
How long does trademark protection last in Albania?
Trademark protection in Albania lasts for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed for successive 10-year periods indefinitely.
Must a trademark be used in Albania?
Use is compulsory. If not used, without good reasons, within any five-year period after the registration (or last use) date, the mark can be cancelled upon request of an interested party; nominal use (advertising, publications) is accepted in absence of actual use.
What are the routes for filing a patent in Albania?
Albania is a member of the Paris Convention (since 1995), the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT, since 1996), and the European Patent Convention (EPC, since 2010). Filing requirements include: a Power of Attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal), a specification (description and claims) with abstract (2 copies for translation into Albanian), drawings, and a priority document if claimed (filed only on request of the Patent Office). For PCT national phase entry, the deadline is 31 months under both Chapter I and Chapter II. Patents are valid for 20 years from the filing date after formal examination.
How long is the patent opposition period in Albania?
Objections can be filed with the Patent Office within nine months from the date of publication of the granted patent.
When are patent annuities due in Albania?
Annuities must be paid beginning from the third year from the date of filing the application.
How do I register an industrial design in Albania?
Industrial designs in Albania are protected under the Law on Industrial Property (No. 9947 of 2008, as amended). Filing requires: a Power of Attorney (notarization only in absence of the company seal), drawings, scheme or sample of the design, a description of the design, identity of the creator(s), and precise identifications of the priority claim if applicable. Albania is a member of the Hague Agreement (Stockholm Act, since 2007, and Geneva Act, since 2007) and the Locarno Agreement (since 2019), allowing international registration. Protection lasts 5 years from the filing date and is renewable up to 25 years.
How do I register a .al domain name?
The .al domain is Albania’s country code top-level domain (ccTLD). Both individuals and legal entities can register, and registration periods range from 1 to 10 years, renewable. Local presence is no longer required for top-level .al domains; however, for the sub-domains .com.al, .edu.al, .gov.al, .org.al, .net.al and .mil.al, local presence is still required. There is no uniform dispute resolution procedure available.
Does the power of attorney need notarization or legalization in Albania?
Notarization is only required in absence of the company seal.
Where can I search the Albanian trademark database?
Albania’s trademark register is maintained by the General Directorate of Patents and Trademarks (DPM). Effective searching requires knowledge of Nice Classification, multilingual considerations, and interpretation of legal status codes. For comprehensive trademark searches and clearance opinions, contact Katzarov’s team.
Where can I search for patents in Albania?
Patent records in Albania are maintained by the General Directorate of Patents and Trademarks (DPM). For professional patent searches, contact Katzarov’s team.
What is the contact information for the Albanian IP Office (DPM)?
The General Directorate of Patents and Trademarks of the Republic of Albania (DPM) is located at Bulevardi “Zhan D’Ark”, Tirana 1001, Albania. Phone: (+355) 4 22 34 412. Email: info@dpm.gov.al. Website: dpm.gov.al.
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