Utility model protection is very impotortant especially to protect small inventions. Additionally, it is also important for the small and medium enterprises and the real persons due to low cost and short period of procedures.
In Turkey the utility model system is in force since 1995. The system is based on only the formal examination and publication. This means that no search and no substantial examination. Even if oppositions (third party obsevations) after publication are filed, the application is registered and becomes effective. Due to having no search, many applications being not novel have been filed and registered in the last 11 years. It has created many problems in the industries. Additionally, the workload of Intellectual property courts are increased dramatically. Now Turkey is changing the law for utility models by adding search for the applications.
Short evaluation of the Bulgarian new utility model system, I concluded that the law is modern and has overcomed the possible problems for future at the beginning.
I believe that new utility model system will be very much beneficial for the Bulgarian national industry and the real persons as inventors.
This article is written exclusively for www.ipbulgaria by Mr.UGUR G. YALCINER, former president of Turkish Patent Institute
