EU Funding for Trade Mark Registration with OSIM, EUIPO and WIPO between 20 October and 5 December 2025

As of 20 October 2025, SMEs based in the European Union and Ukraine will be able to submit applications for Voucher 2, designed to support the protection of trade marks and industrial designs or models, under the newly reopened phase of the SME Fund. The programme will remain open until 5 December 2025, with allocations made on a first come, first served basis, subject to budget availability. This initiative, already a cornerstone in the EU’s framework for intellectual property protection, seeks to facilitate SMEs’ access to legal tools for safeguarding innovation at the national, regional, EU, and international levels.

Structure and Objectives of the “Ideas Powered for Business – SME Fund”

The “Ideas Powered for Business – SME Fund” is a grant scheme designed to encourage and assist SMEs in the protection and capitalization of their intangible assets. Through this mechanism, companies may receive partial reimbursements of fees related to the registration of their intellectual property rights — including trade marks, designs, patents, and plant varieties.

For 2025, the Fund has a total budget of EUR 18 million, of which EUR 17.1 million are allocated to Vouchers 1 and 2 (covering IP Scan, IP Scan Enforcement, trade marks and designs) and EUR 900,000 to Vouchers 3 and 4 (for patents and Community plant varieties). Grants are awarded within the limits of the available funds, and once the allocation for a given voucher type is exhausted, the EUIPO publishes an official notice and suspends further applications for that category.

Voucher 2 – Trade Marks and Industrial Designs

Voucher 2 is one of the most sought-after components of the SME Fund, as it directly supports the registration of trade marks and industrial designs, which form the core of a company’s commercial identity and visual distinctiveness. The financial aid consists of partial reimbursement of registration-related fees, as follows:

• 75% reimbursement of fees for trade mark or design applications filed at national, regional or EU level, including fees for examination, registration, publication, and deferment of publication;
• 50% reimbursement of basic application fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees for international trade mark and design applications filed outside the European Union, through the Madrid and Hague systems administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

An important update for 2025 is that designation fees for EU Member States are included in the SME Fund scheme, while handling fees charged by the office of origin remain ineligible for reimbursement. The maximum value of the trade mark and design voucher is EUR 700, and all reimbursements are transferred directly to the SME’s bank account as indicated in the application.

Applicants must wait for the grant award decision and the receipt of their voucher before initiating any reimbursable activities, since only fees paid after notification of the grant decision are eligible. The EUIPO communicates the evaluation outcome and the grant decision electronically to the email addresses provided in the application form.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Procedure

To qualify for funding, the applicant must be a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) established in an EU Member State or in Ukraine. The SME must engage in genuine economic activity, irrespective of its legal form, pursuing trade, manufacturing, or services for remuneration. Furthermore, an enterprise is not considered an SME if 25% or more of its capital or voting rights are directly or indirectly controlled, jointly or individually, by one or more public bodies.

Applications may be submitted by the business owner, an authorized employee, or an external representative — a natural or legal person duly empowered to act on behalf of the enterprise. In the latter case, a “Declaration on Honour”, signed by both parties, must accompany the application, formally authorizing the representative to act for the company.

The required documentation includes:

• the company’s bank details supported by an official bank statement showing the bank’s name and logo, the company name as account holder, full IBAN with country code, and BIC/SWIFT code;
• the VAT/TIN certificate issued by the competent national authority, ensuring that the tax number and company name match the information in the application form;
• where applicable, the Declaration on Honour signed by the SME and the external representative;
• a clear intellectual property protection strategy, identifying the IP assets to be registered — such as trade marks, logos, inventions, technologies, original software, designs, or innovative processes.

Applicants are strongly advised to prepare all necessary documentation beforehand, as delays or incomplete submissions may result in the expiration of the vouchers, given that the grants are valid only for a limited period of time.

Programme Continuity and Reapplication Possibilities

A particularly noteworthy feature of the SME Fund is that each annual edition operates independently. Therefore, SMEs that benefited from previous grants in 2022, 2023, or 2024 remain eligible to apply again in 2025, irrespective of whether they have already initiated the funded services or received reimbursements. Reapplication is permitted as long as the company complies with the eligibility criteria and the provisions of the current call for proposals.

Applicants must also declare whether they have applied for or received any other EU funding during the same financial year for identical or related IP protection activities, in order to avoid double funding.

The Strategic Importance of Intellectual Property Protection for SMEs

In a knowledge-driven economy, intellectual property rights constitute an indispensable legal tool for innovation protection. Registering a trade mark, industrial design, or patent not only guarantees exclusive rights of use but also establishes a robust legal foundation for commercial exploitation, whether through licensing, franchising, or international expansion.

The SME Fund provides more than financial aid — it also offers strategic advisory support, notably through the IP Scan service, which helps SMEs define a tailored IP protection strategy aligned with their business model and target markets. Before applying, companies are encouraged to determine where they intend to sell, distribute, operate or license their products or services. Since intellectual property rights are territorial, registration must be sought in every jurisdiction where commercial activity occurs.

Depending on their operational scope, companies may choose to register their rights at national, regional, or EU level (via EUIPO). For businesses seeking protection beyond the EU, international registration under the Madrid or Hague systems administered by WIPO offers an effective route to secure IP rights in multiple countries through a single procedure.

The reopening of Voucher 2 under the “Ideas Powered for Business – SME Fund” constitutes a significant opportunity for European and Ukrainian SMEs to strengthen their market position through effective protection of intellectual property assets. In an economy where the value of innovation often exceeds that of tangible capital, such initiatives contribute to the creation of a competitive and sustainable economic ecosystem in which creativity and knowledge are recognized as strategic resources.

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