Polish Trade Mark Office Will Inform Right Holders About The Approaching Renewal Deadline

Industrial property rights are an important tool in the competitive struggle in the market place as well as being an acknowledged method to secure the rights and interests of an entrepreneur. Therefore it is crucial to remember that registering the right with the relevant office is not enough and one should subsequently undertake acts of diligence which are necessary to maintain the rights. One of them is the timely payment of fees as related to the given industrial property right. In Poland, trade mark rights are granted for a period of 10 years and may be renewed upon payment of a relevant renewal fee prior to the expiry of the previous protection period. Although the law maker provided for some flexibility and allowed for late payment within the so called grace period (i.e. within 6 months following the relevant deadline), any delay in payment is always risky and may, under circumstances, result in expiry of the trade mark right.