CLIENT SERVICES

The answer is Turkish Patent Institute (TPI). You can www.turkpatent.gov.tr for more detailed information.

Turkey has been a part of PCT and adopted the EPC on November 1, 2000.

Turkey adopts patent practice of European Countries rather than the US system.

Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods, schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games, literary and artistic works, aesthetic creations, scientific works, the presentation, arrangement, collecting, transmitting of information, which does not have any technical background also cannot be granted with a patent.

Computer programs or computer implemented inventions providing tangible effect may obtain a patent protection.

Patents are granted to inventions related to pharmaceutical products or processes.

Method and apparatus claims for the same invention are allowable.

There are three types of application, which are patent with examination with 20 years protection term, patent without examination with 7 years protection term and utility model providing 10 years of protection. Additionally, divisional applications, additional patents and provisional protection are possible.

As a consequence of a recent regulations in relevant law, plant protection and protection of integrated circuits’ topographies are now possible in Turkey.

Topographies of integrated circuits can be protected in Turkey.

Annual fees have to be paid each year on or before the Turkish Filing date. There is also a grace period of 6 months during which the fees can be paid with a fine.

Patents/Utility modes must be worked within 3 years from the grant and an evidence of use such an import certificate shall be submitted to TPI within this term. On the contrary, an offer for licence shall be filed to TPI in order to prevent the risk of obligatory licence.

Requirements for filing are as follows:

• Name, nationality and address of the applicant and inventor.
• If priority is claimed, number, date and country of the application.
• Specification, claims and drawings (if any)
• Priority Document, unlegalized. It may also be filed within 3 (three) months as of the Turkish filing date.
• Power of attorney simply signed by applicant. (It is not requested for filing but we prefer to have Applicant’s POA in our files for future use.)

The certificate of patent without examination can be obtained in approximately 15-24 months while the procedure from filing to grant for a certificate of patent with examination takes up to 24-36 months depending on the number of examinations carried out.

Conventional patent applications are firstly searched and then examined up to three times.

Non-examined patent can be converted to examined patent at any time within said 7 year term by filing a substantive examination request.

A patent application can be converted to a utility model application at any time prior to receipt of the final decision of the TPI, namely decision to grant or rejection.