SME Fund 2022

The SME Fund provides financial support to EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the protection of their intellectual property (IP) rights. SMEs can apply for vouchers that will provide access to a partial refund. The offer is broad:
 

• 90% reimbursement for IP pre-diagnostic services (IP Scan). 
• 75% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication fees at EU level. 
• 75% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication fees at national and regional level. 
• 50% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees outside the EU. Designation fees originating in EU countries are excluded, as are handling fees charged by the office of origin. 
• 50% reimbursement of patent pre-grant (e.g. filing, search, and examination), grant, and publication fees at national level.

The maximum reimbursable amount per SME is:
 EUR 750 for patent-related activities and EUR 1 500 for the other activities.

You can apply from 10 January 2022 to 16 December 2022. The SME Fund 2022 has limited funds. If the funds are exhausted, applications will be closed before the indicated date.

All SMEs established in the EU are eligible to apply for a grant. Owners, authorised employees or representatives can apply. A representative is defined as any third party, whether a natural or legal person, who is duly authorised by the SME to represent it legally. All grant reimbursements are deposited directly into the bank account of the SME indicated in the application.

Your company must be a valid SME established within the EU. Please review the official EU definition of an SME to ensure that your company is eligible. In general, EU SMEs are categorised as follows:
 

Enterprise category	Staff headcount	Annual turnover	Annual balance sheet total
Medium-sized	<250	≤ € 50 m	≤ € 43 m
Small	<50	≤ € 10 m	≤ € 10 m
Micro	<10	≤ € 2 m	≤ € 2 m

No, not unless it is engaged in an economic activity. Please refer to the definition of an SME established by the European Commission for details.

Yes, but only the SME can benefit from the grant if it is awarded.
 
If your SME uses the services of a representative or you are a representative acting on behalf of an SME, you must have filled out the ‘declaration of honour’ (template) document. This document must be signed by an authorised member of the SME and saved as a PDF file. You will need to upload this during the application process. There is no objection to an SME appointing a legal entity as its representative to the SME Fund, provided that the name and signature of a natural person belonging to that entity is included in the declaration on honour.
 

Yes, a representative can register and pay for trade mark, design, and patent application fees on behalf of your SME. This representative can also submit the subsequent ‘request for reimbursement’. However, the reimbursement will be paid directly into the SME’s bank account as the beneficiary of the grant decision.

Yes. Even if you have already been awarded a grant for an IP activity from the SME Fund 2021, you can also apply for a SME Fund grant in 2022, regardless of whether you have initiated a service or have already been reimbursed. These initiatives are independent from each other. EU SMEs may apply each year to the SME Fund, provided that they comply with the conditions set out in the call for proposals, even if they have had applications awarded or rejected in previous calls. During the application stage, beneficiaries must also declare whether they applied for or received any other EU funding in the same financial year for the same activities.

Read the following checklist carefully before applying to ensure that you have the necessary documentation ready to upload.
 
CHECKLIST
 

• Your company/enterprise must be an established EU small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). 
• You must have read the call for proposals before completing the application form. 
• If you are a representative or will use the services of a representative, you must have filled out the ‘declaration of honour’ (template) document. This document must be signed by an authorised member of the SME and attached to the application form in PDF format. 
• You must have your company’s bank details ready along with a bank statement where the following details appear: company name as account holder; full IBAN number with country code; and BIC/SWIFT code. 
• You must have your company’s VAT certificate or national registration number certificate, issued by the appropriate national authority. 
• You must understand that you cannot request the SME Fund grant if you have already received EU funding for the same or part of the same activity.

Grants are distributed in the form of vouchers that can be used for a variety of IP activities.
 

1. Voucher 1 (maximum EUR 1 500) can be used for an IP scan as well as for registering trade marks, and/or designs. 
2. Voucher 2 (maximum EUR 750) can be used to register patents. 

Please check the list of fees covered in the call for proposals.
 
Your SME may therefore be eligible to receive up to EUR 2 250.

Your SME may request reimbursement as the beneficiary of the grant, or a representative may do so on your SME’s behalf. Reimbursements will always be paid directly into your SME’s bank account.

No, your SME must first apply for a grant and wait for the EUIPO to respond with a grant decision.

No, you must wait to receive an affirmative grant decision and the corresponding voucher or vouchers.

Yes, the SME Fund has EUR 25 million available for IP scans and trade mark or design applications, and EUR 1 million available for patent registrations. Grants are available throughout 2022 on a first come, first served basis until all available funds have been used.

No, SME Fund vouchers only cover eligible fees for trade marks, designs or patents, or expenses related to an IP scan.

It depends on the needs of the SME. Apply for an IP scan for more information.
 
Firstly, you need to identify where you want to sell, distribute, operate or license your products or services. Is your business cross-border or is it limited to one region or country? Do you operate online? Bear in mind that registered intellectual property rights are territorially limited. That means that you need to register your rights in a particular territory. You can either register your rights at national, regional or EU level.
 
Please note that you can also choose to register your trade mark or design in several Member States. For example, if you need to operate in two countries, you can register your rights in those two countries via two different procedures.
 
If your product or service is going to be sold, distributed, exploited or licensed in many Member States, then you might consider seeking protection at EU level, using the EUTM or RCD system.
 
Moreover, if you need to designate a country outside the EU, you can use the Madrid or Hague systems available through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
 
In all cases, please do not hesitate to make use of the pro bono service and/or IP Scan service.

You can find detailed information on the Ideas Powered for business SME Fund in the call for proposals.

If you have any questions, you can refer to our Frequently Asked Questions or chat with us online in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish. We are available Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 18.30 (GMT+1).

You can also send us an email enquiry in any one of the EU official languages: information@euipo.europa.eu.

IP pre-diagnostics is a key tool for developing your SME’s intellectual property strategy. Designated IP experts from national intellectual property offices analyse your SME’s business model, products, and/or services to create an IP strategy tailored to your SME’s needs.
 
This service can help you decide what IP rights to apply for, how to develop your company’s IP portfolio, and how to plan for the future if you already have registered IP rights.
 
SMEs that wish to apply for an IP pre-diagnostic service (IP Scan), must be established in a country where an eligible IP pre-diagnostic provider is available, as published in the call for proposals.

IP Scan does not constitute a legal service and is not a pre-filing, a novelty search or a state of the art search. For more detailed information on the IP Scan service and its benefits, please visit the IP Scan page.

IP Scan covers all IP rights: patents, trade marks, designs, utility models, plant varieties, geographical indications, and non-registered/non-registrable assets such as trade secrets, copyrights, unregistered designs, and company names, domain names, etc.

Within the framework of the SME Fund, the IP Scan service is not offered in all EU Member States. To check whether this service is offered in your country, either by the national IP office or by an authorised external partner, please consult the following list.
 
Note that some national IP offices may offer similar IP pre-diagnostic services outside the scope of the SME Fund. Should you be interested in having an IP scan performed, you can contact your national IP office for further information.
 
To check whether this activity is offered in your country and whether or not it is covered by the SME Fund, please consult the table below.
 

National IP offices offering IP Scan covered by the SME Fund	National IP offices offering an activity similar to IP Scan not covered by the SME Fund
Belgium	Austria
Bulgaria	Croatia
Cyprus	Denmark
Czech Republic	France
Finland	Hungary
Germany	Luxembourg 1
Ireland	Luxembourg 2
Latvia	Poland
Lithuania	Slovakia
Portugal	Slovenia
Sweden	Spain

For detailed information on what is offered in specific countries, visit the SME Fund home page and choose a country from the ‘country selector’.

Your national IP office will assign an IP expert to you. First, you will be asked to complete a self-assessment survey. Then the IP expert will conduct interviews with you to determine the most appropriate IP business strategy for your company. The report prepared by the IP expert will then go through a ‘quality check’ performed by your national IP office. A ‘proof of payment’ document will be delivered by your national IP office to enable you to request the reimbursement of fees from your SME Fund account area.
 
Please note that the time required to perform the IP Scan will vary depending on each business case. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to complete.

Once you have received a grant, and the corresponding voucher, you can contact your national IP office and request an IP Scan.
 
The IP Scan is not offered in all EU Member States within the framework of the SME Fund. Some national intellectual property offices offer similar IP pre-diagnostic services outside the scope of the SME Fund. To check if this activity is available in your country, please refer to the question ‘Who performs an IP Scan?’.

No, renewals are not refundable.

Your SME can request:
 

• 75% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication fees at EU, national, and regional levels. 
• 50% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees outside the EU. Designation fees originating in EU countries are excluded, as are handling fees charged by the office of origin. 
• 50% reimbursement of patent pre-grant (e.g. filing, search, and examination), grant, and publication fees at national level in the EU. 

Please check the limits and the list of fees covered in the call for proposals.
 
The territorial level of protection selected will depend on the SME’s business strategy and growth plans. If the SME is unsure of what to apply for or where, an IP pre-diagnostic service (IP Scan) could help to make the right choice.
 
A Free IP support is also available for SMEs needing guidance in this regard.

Yes, but before you apply you must ensure that you hold a value added tax number (VAT) or a taxpayer identification number (TIN).

No, the registration fees of a utility model are not eligible for reimbursement. You can apply to be reimbursed for fees linked to the registration of trade marks, designs, or patents, as specified in the call for proposals.

No, the SME Fund doesn’t cover PCT patent applications.

No, to be eligible for reimbursement, you must register your patent in a Member State of the European Union.

No, the SME Fund doesn’t cover registrations with the EPO.

The SME Fund 2022 only reimburses the search fees that are part of the application procedure for a patent. Research fees that are performed prior to the application procedure are excluded from reimbursement.

No, the SME Fund does not cover Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) fees or European Patent applications. To be partially reimbursed, you must file a national patent application with the intellectual property office of one or several of the EU Member States. International application fees will not be reimbursed.

There is no limit to the number of IP rights (trade marks, designs or patents) that your SME can register. However, the total amount for a possible grant is limited to a maximum of EUR 2 250.
 

• EUR 1 500 to partially cover an IP scan, as well as trade mark and design fee expenses.
• EUR 750 to partially cover national patent fee expenses. 

Please check the limits and the list of fees covered in the call for proposals.

National trade marks and designs can be registered at any of the national intellectual property offices of the EU (offering national protection), at the Benelux Office of Intellectual Property (offering regional protection in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), or at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (the EUIPO, offering protection in all Member States of the EU).
 
Outside the EU, trade marks and designs can be registered at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
 
Patent applications may be submitted at any of the national IP offices of the EU.

The World International Property Organization runs two solutions for registering trade marks and designs online. For trade marks, you can view the Madrid System for the International Registration of Trademark’s FAQs. For designs, please consult the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs’ Q&As.

The fees subject to reimbursement are those charged for applications (including basic fees, designation fees and subsequent designation fees under the international trade mark system (the Madrid System) or the international design system (the Hague System). Designation fees of EU countries are excluded. Handling fees charged by the office of origin are also excluded.

No, the SME Fund doesn’t reimburse such fees.

Designation fees are incurred when a Contracting Party is designated. They are charged by the country in which the international protection is sought.
 
Subsequent designation fees are used to add additional countries/regions to your existing international trade mark registration (i.e. expand its geographical scope of protection).
 
Yes, designation and subsequent designation fees are eligible fees that can be reimbursed.

No, designations of EU countries are not included. You can file an application at a national or regional European Union Intellectual Property Office, or at the EUIPO if you want your trade mark or design to be protected throughout the European Union.

No, European Union designation is not included. You must apply at the EUIPO if you want your trade mark or design to be protected throughout the European Union.

The grant application procedure is outlined below. It assumes that an SME owner, employer, or representative has read the call for proposals on the grant webpage.
 
STEP 1
 
You must first create an SME Fund account and log in. You should have all the necessary documentation ready, including a VAT certificate, a company bank statement, and a signed declaration of honour (if you’re a representative). Fill out and submit the online grant application form. When submitting the form, you will be able to request two vouchers depending on the activities you choose:
 

1. Voucher 1 (EUR 1 500) can be used for an IP scan, as well as for registering trade marks and designs. 
2. Voucher 2 (EUR 750) can be used to register patents. 

Your grant decision may take up to 15 working days. When it arrives, it will be signed by the EUIPO along with the voucher or vouchers that you will be able to use for the indicated IP activities. Do not apply for any activities before receiving the positive grant decision; otherwise the fees paid will not be reimbursed. You have up to 4 months to request activities, although this can be extended for an additional 2 months if requested during the last 30 days of the original 4-month period. See the section “Using the voucher” for more details.
 
STEP 2
 
Request and pay for the activities you require:
 

• 90% reimbursement for IP pre-diagnostic services (IP Scan). 
• 75% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication fees at EU level. 
• 75% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design application fees, additional class fees, and examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication fees at national and regional level. 
• 50% reimbursement of trade mark and/or design basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees outside the EU. Designation fees originating in EU countries are excluded, as are handling fees charged by the office of origin. 
• 50% reimbursement of patent pre-grant (e.g. filing, search, and examination), grant, and publication fees at national level. 
• Please check the limits and the list of fees covered in the call for proposals.

 
 STEP 3
 
Once you’ve paid for your activities, log in to your account. Then, fill out and submit the online ‘request for reimbursement’ form. If approved, the full reimbursement amount will be deducted from your voucher or vouchers. Payment from the EUIPO will be made within a month and deposited in the company bank account indicated in your application. See the section “Using the voucher” to learn more about expiry dates, implementation periods, and more.

The SME Fund account area is where users can go to:

• apply for specific activities covered by the 2022 SME Fund by filling out the application form
• fill out the reimbursement form to request the partial reimbursement of paid activities
• check the balance of your vouchers
• check voucher activation and implementation terms

It is very important that the name in the ‘Company’ field is exactly the same as the company name that appears in your VAT/TIN document and on your bank statement. Please make sure that all the information coincides.
 
You should take care to indicate the complete IBAN number for your company’s bank account, exactly as it appears on your company’s bank statement (including the country code).
 
All documents should be clearly legible. If you need to scan a physical document, please use a scanner and save it as a PDF file. Photographs of documents using a smartphone or digital camera are not permitted.

You can and should provide more than one email address to ensure that all communications are received. If you do not receive any emails from the SME Fund team shortly after submitting your application, please check your spam folder or contact the EUIPO.

You must indicate the company name exactly as it appears on your SME’s VAT/TIN certificate and on your bank statement.

Please consult this document to see the correct VAT number formats for EU countries, including the country code.
 
For applicants considered tax exempt by their competent national authority and with an equivalent tax identification number (TIN), you will need to provide the relevant certificate issued by said authority, demonstrating the legal existence of your company. If the structure of the tax identification number is different from the VAT number structure, please perform the following when encoding the information.
 

• If the tax identification number has the same number of digits but is missing a country code, it must be preceded by the country code.Example: the VAT number structure is EU12345678 and the tax identification number is 12345678. Applicants should enter EU12345678.
• If the tax identification number includes the country code but does not have the same number of digits, it must be followed by the letter ‘X’ until the required number of digits has been reached.Example: the VAT number structure is EU12345678 and the tax identification number is EU123456. Applicants should enter EU123456XX.
• If the tax identification number does not include the country code and does not have the same number of digits, it must be preceded by the country code and followed by the letter ‘X’ until the required number of digits has been reached.Example: the VAT number structure is EU12345678 and the tax identification number is 123456. Applicants should enter EU123456XX.

Your company’s bank statement or bank certificate must indicate the account holder (this must be the same as the company name), the bank name, the full IBAN account number (including the country code) and the BIC/SWIFT code. A stamp from the bank and the signature of the bank’s representative are not required (see example here).

1. Acknowledgement of your application via email may take up to 60 minutes to arrive. 
2. If you do not receive an email within 60 minutes, please check that you have indicated the correct email address. We recommend providing more than one email address when you make the application. 
3. Check your spam/junk/unwanted email folder. We recommend adding communications from us to your safe sender list to avoid this issue in future. 
4. If, after checking the above, you have still not received acknowledgement, please contact information@euipo.europa.eu for assistance. 

This email should not be taken as an indication that the application has been approved, only that it was submitted. Applicants will be notified individually in a separate email of the results of the evaluation process as stated in the call for proposals.

The EUIPO reviews all applications. If the Committee requires clarification for any documents or information provided, you will receive a notification via email.

If, after submitting your application, you decide NOT to continue with the process, please send an email to grants.smefund@euipo.europa.eu, attaching your application acknowledgement email and indicating: ‘I would like to withdraw my application for the SME Fund grant’.

Simply follow the instructions indicated in the email you receive requesting clarification. Make sure that you provide the information requested and attach the necessary documents, if required. We will update your application accordingly.

After reviewing your application, the Evaluation Committee will inform you of the outcome, which may be any one of the following: a grant award, a request for further information or a rejection. These notifications will be sent via email and SMS. You may also receive notifications regarding the expiry of your voucher/s via email and SMS.

Once you have received the grant decision and any corresponding vouchers, you should apply and pay for at least one activity before the voucher or vouchers expire (vouchers are valid for up to 4 months, although this can be extended by an additional 2 months if requested during the last 30 days of the original 4-month period).
 
Once you have received the grant, paid for at least one of your selected activities, and submitted the reimbursement form (attaching the required proof of payment), your vouchers will be activated. Once activated, you will have:
 

• For Voucher 1: a 6-month implementation period from the moment the voucher is activated, to pay for and request reimbursement of additional fees covered by voucher 1 (this can be subsequent fees or new IPRs). 
• For Voucher 2: a 12-month implementation period from the moment the voucher is activated, to pay for and request reimbursement of additional fees related to previously requested activities. Within the same time period you may apply for additional activities, pay the corresponding fees, and request reimbursement. 

Applicants also have a grace period of 30 days to request reimbursement for fees paid once the implementation period has ended.

Yes, vouchers are valid for 4 months, although this can be extended by an additional 2 months if requested during the last 30 days of the original 4-month period. You must apply for at least one activity and request its reimbursement within this validity period, otherwise the voucher will expire and you will not be entitled to any reimbursement.

If a voucher is not used by the beneficiary of the grant, the allocated budget is released and these funds are then available to new applicants.

No, each voucher can only be granted to the same participant once a year. This is independent of the subsequent usage (or expiration) of the voucher. However, you will be able to apply again in 2023.

Initially, vouchers have a 4-month validity period which may be extended by 2 months if you need more time to use them. To extend a voucher’s validity, you should visit your SME Fund account area to request an extension. This can only be done during the last 30 days of the initial 4-month period.

A participant can only be awarded one grant decision per voucher per year. If your voucher has expired, you can’t apply for the same voucher during the SME Fund 2022. However, you will be able to apply again in 2023.

No, within the time periods stipulated above, you may request activities and the corresponding reimbursement at any time. Please refer to the relevant FAQs above.

Voucher 1 and Voucher 2 are independent and can be applied for at the same time or at different times within the scope of the 2022 SME Fund (between 10 January 2022 and 16 December 2022). Each voucher can only be requested once.

You will still be reimbursed. No distinction is made between successful and unsuccessful applications with regard to the grant process.

Your intellectual property office will inform the EUIPO that your SME has started an IP Scan. This activates the voucher. You will receive a notification confirming the activation of the voucher.

Once a payment request has been submitted, the EUIPO performs its assessment which includes the following elements:

• an evaluation of the activities carried out (to check that they correspond to the activities defined in the call for proposals and set in the grant decision);
• an evaluation of the eligibility of declared fees, including checking the supporting documents.

Hence the importance of providing the correct information and supporting documents when submitting payment requests (as explained above).

If the request is incomplete or needs clarification, the EUIPO will contact the beneficiary and inform them what needs to be submitted to complete the request.

Once the payment request and the accompanying documents are approved, the amount due will be paid to the beneficiary’s bank account (indicated in the SME Fund application or amended in the request for payment). The EUIPO will notify the beneficiary electronically (to the contact email address provided in the SME Fund application and set in the grant decision) that the payment has been made. If the payment request includes costs which are not eligible for reimbursement, the grounds will be duly explained in the corresponding notification.

First, go to the SME Fund page (https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/online-services/sme-fund) and log into your SME Fund account with your EUIPO credentials.

Second, in the menu on the left, click on ‘Reimbursement form’ for the vouchers you have been awarded and choose the reference number of the voucher you would like to make the request for.

Finally, select all the activities that you want reimbursement for and fill in the required information.

• For a reimbursement related to an IP Scan:

You must fill in the date you requested the IP pre-diagnosis service (‘IP scan’) from your national intellectual property office, the amount paid, and the date of payment.

You must also submit the ‘IP Scan report proof of payment’ – this will be provided by the national intellectual property office confirming that the service has been performed, and stating the amount paid and the date of payment.

• For a reimbursement related to EU trade mark and/or design registrations:

You must fill in the application for registration number, the filing date (application date), and the fees breakdown (basic and other fees) related to the registration. Please use the ‘Add another’ button for each registration claimed.

It is not necessary to upload any documents as the information is available in the EUIPO’s IP Tool.

• For a reimbursement related to national trade mark, design and/or patent registrations or applications:

You must fill in the application for registration date, the application number, and the fees breakdown (basic and other fees) related to the registration.

You must also submit the document provided by the national intellectual property office confirming the implementation, the amount paid, and the fees breakdown (basic and other fees) related to the application for registration. Please use the ‘Add another’ button for each registration claimed.

• For a reimbursement related to international trade mark/design registrations at the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO):

You must fill in the application date, the application number, the designated non-EU country or countries, and the fees (in CHF) related to the application for registration.

You must also submit the document provided by WIPO that confirms the implementation, the amount paid, the date of payment, and its proof of payment.

The fees subject to reimbursement are those registered using the systems administered by WIPO:

• the international trade mark system (Madrid System)
• the international design system (Hague System)

No, you have to wait to receive a successful grant decision and your voucher or vouchers. SMEs have to wait for a successful grant decision before starting an IP activity. If an IP activity starts before the notification of a successful grant decision, no fee will be reimbursed (including subsequent fees).

All payments will be made to the beneficiary’s bank account as indicated in the application or as modified in the payment request.

The bank account must belong to the beneficiary, that is the SME, and not to any representative.

Should the bank account not be correct when applying for the voucher(s), the beneficiary will be duly informed in the notification of result, including letter(s) and voucher(s). Therefore, the beneficiary must submit a correct bank account when applying for reimbursement. Otherwise, the EUIPO will not be able to complete the payment.

The time limit for the EUIPO to make payments is 30 days from the submission of the request for reimbursement.

The EUIPO will suspend the payment period when a request for additional information has been sent. Suspension takes effect on the date the EUIPO sends the notification. The remaining payment period resumes from the date on which the requested information or revised documents are received.

If the request includes fees related to trade mark and design protection outside the EU, the time limit of 30 days may not be respected. This is because elements verified during the assessment must also be confirmed with the support of WIPO.

Yes, but only if your voucher has not yet expired. If your reimbursement request is accepted, your voucher will be activated, and the implementation period will start. During the implementation period, it is possible to request reimbursement for other eligible fees.

• Costs incurred before the SME received a grant notification.
• Attorney (or representative) fees.
• VAT costs as stated in Article 4.5 of the grant decision (in particular those related to IP Scan services).
• Wrong voucher: costs for activities related to voucher 1 cannot be reimbursed under voucher 2 and vice-versa (i.e. an EUTM cannot be reimbursed if only patent voucher 2 has been awarded).
• Registration fees of the office of origin for international trade mark or design applications. Fees are only eligible when submitted using a national IP office, not WIPO (i.e. an Italian trade mark/design cannot be reimbursed if registered using WIPO).
• International registrations of trade mark or design not using the WIPO system. Fees are only eligible when submitted using the systems administered by WIPO, not through non-EU IP offices (i.e. international trade mark/design in Colombia cannot be reimbursed if registered using the Colombian national IP office).
• Utility model fees.