PCT NATIONAL PHASE ENTRY
Serbia

Serbia has been a Contracting Party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property since April 27, 1992, and a Contracting Party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) since February 01, 1997. Additionally, Serbia is a signatory of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for Patent Procedures and the Patent Law Treaty (PLT). Serbia is also a member of the European Patent Organization. Since October 2010, the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia has been a full member of the European Patent Organization (EPO), following six years as an extended state member.

In celebration of its 85 years of operation, the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia was honored with a Decree from the President of the State Union of Serbia and awarded the Medal of Honor for Work. This recognition was given for its "successful efforts, achievements in promoting and enhancing intellectual property, and significant contribution to aligning the country's legislation with global standards in this field.

The deadline for entering the national phase of a PCT application in Serbia is 30 months from the priority date.

The official language for Serbian patent applications is Serbian. If the international application is filed in a foreign language, a Serbian translation must be provided within two months of receiving the invitation from the IP Office.

The 30-month period can be extended by 30 days with the payment of the corresponding official fee.

• Power of Attorney: The Power of Attorney is required to submit at the time of filing the application. If the applicant fails to provide a POA when filing, the examiner will send an invitation once the application is due for examination, specifying a deadline of 60 days from the date of receipt.
• Assignment Deed: If the applicant is not the inventor, a statement explaining how the applicant acquired the right from the inventor(s) to file the application can be submitted within two months of filing.

The fees for national phase filing are reduced by 50% if the international application is submitted by an individual.

A request for the substantive examination of a Serbian patent application based on the PCT must be made within six months of the publication of the search report in the Official Gazette.

Renewal fees are due starting from the third year after the application filing date. A 6-month grace period is available for the payment of renewals, provided that the surcharge fee is paid.

In Serbia, patent protection for an invention is valid for 20 years, starting from the international filing date. For medicinal and plant protection products, the patent term can be extended by up to five years through a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) to make up for delays in receiving marketing authorization.

Serbia is ranked 52nd among the 133 economies in the GII 2024, reflecting its significant progress. Within the group of 34 upper-middle-income economies, Serbia holds a strong 7th position. In Europe, it ranks 31st out of 39 economies. The country also ranks 60th in innovation outputs, showing an improvement compared to the previous year. Relative to its GDP, Serbia performs in line with expectations for its level of development.

Serbia has a diverse landscape, featuring mountains, fertile plains, and rivers like the Danube. Its economy is growing, with key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and increasingly IT.