Patent application

Starting with 27 May 2024, to submit online patent applications electronically to OSIM, the Online Filling version 5.15 program will be used, which can be downloaded from HERE.

Starting with 01.03.2009, the following types of applications may be filed with OSIM by electronic means:

• Under the Order No 112 of 21 November 2008 for the approval of Instructions relating to the electronic filing of patent applications (PDF):
  • patent applications filed by national route;
  • requests for national phase entry for international PCT applications;
  • translation into Romanian of the claims of the European patent application in order to obtain provisional protection as well as translation of the European patent specification.
• Under international Conventions and Treaties:
  • patent applications filed under the European Patent Convention (EPC), through OSIM on behalf of EPO. The conditions and requirements for online filing of the European patent applications are published by the European Patent Office (EPO) in OJEPO 11/2002 pages 543-548.

The system of the European Patent Office EPO EPO Online Filing (EPO-OLF), shall be used for all the mentioned applications, said system requiring authentication with a smart card provided by EPO. For the PCT patent applications filed through OSIM, as receiving office, you may use the ePCT platform, which only requires registration. 

***For the attention of new applicants or those whose smart cards have expired:

• A soft certificate must be requested for online submission
• This soft certificate will be requested by sending an e-mail to enroll-eolf@osim.gov.ro following this Guide from HERE

OSIM continues to accept national, international and European applications as well as translations of European patents filed on paper support, as well.

The date of filing, for each application filed with OSIM by electronic means, shall be:

• the date of receipt, written on the confirmation of filing, if the hour of receipt is comprised in the time interval ranging between 0:00-16:30, on the working days from Monday to Thursday, or between 0:00-14:00, on the working days of Friday; or
• the date of the working day following the day of receipt written on the confirmation of filing, if the the hour and day written on the confirmation of filing is not comprised in the above mentioned time interval.

What you need to do in order to use the electronic filing:

• Depending on the system you want to use (EPO-OLF) Software download.
• For authentication, use the existind EPO smart card or request a soft certificate.
• For help, you may confidently use Helpdesk.

Advantages:

• Reduction of the fee for filing applications with OSIM, for patent applications filed by electronic means;
• Both PCT and EPC provide for reduction of the international registration fee and the basic national fee, if the patent application is filed online;
• Reduction of the expenses you usually incur upon filing a patent application, by reducing secretarial work, expenses related to paper utilization;
• Omissions or errors will be signalled upon data entry, via the interactive validation system;
• A safe and secured tool which uses the latest technological achievements in the data encryption field by using the smart card-based system;
• A quick confirmation of your application filing with OSIM.

Useful links:

EPO Smart card
 WIPO digital certificate
 EPO online services portal  (software, documentation, tutorials)
  ePCT electronic filing (documentation, tutorials)