UTILITY MODELS

Utility models are IP rights available in Germany, but not throughout Europe. German utility models are called “Gebrauchsmuster”. The application documents must be in German and as with patents, utility models can only protect technical inventions so methods or processes cannot be protected. The maximum term of protection is 10 years. and there is no substantive examination by the German Patent and Trademark Office which means that the cost is less than the cost of a patent application. In contrast to patents, there is a period of six months preclusive of prejudice to novelty. Therefore, protection by utility models is still possible if the object of the utility model is disclosed before the application date.