WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
20 November 2008 
 (08-5655) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/  inglés 
 
 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
SLOVAK REPUBLIC 
  The present document reproduces the consolidated text
1 of Act No. 444/2002 Coll. on 
Designs, as amended by Act No. 344/2004 Coll. a nd Act No. 84/2007 Coll., as notified by the Slovak 
Republic under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document IP/N/1/SVK/3). 
 
 Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce  
  
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À LA 
PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
 
RÉPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE 
  Le présent document contient le texte consolidé
1 de la Loi n° 444/2002 Coll. sur les dessins et 
modèles, telle que modifiée par la Loi n° 344/2004 Co ll. et par la Loi n° 84/2007 Coll., notifiée par la 
République slovaque au titre de l'article 63:2 de  l'Accord (voir le document IP/N/1/SVK/3). 
 
 Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio  
 
 
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA 
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD 
DEL PÁRRAFO 2 DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
 
REPÚBLICA ESLOVACA 
 
 En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 refundido de la Ley Nº 444/2002 
(recopilación) de dibujos y modelos, modificad a por la Ley Nº 344/2004 (recopilación) y la 
Ley Nº 84/2007 (recopilación), que la República Es lovaca ha notificado en virtud del párrafo 2 del 
artículo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/SVK/3). 
 
                                                      
 1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente. IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 2  
 
ACT NO. 444/2002 COLL. ON DESIGNS AS AMENDED 
 
Amended by: Act No 344/2004 Coll. 
Act No 84/2007 Coll.  
 
 
The National Council of the Slovak Republic has adopted the following Act: 
 
PART ONE 
 
BASIC PROVISIONS 
 
Article 1 
Subject-matter of regulation 
 
(1) This Act governs legal relations ar ising in relation to creation, le gal protection and application of 
a design.  
 
(2) This Act shall not substitute protection afforded to  same subjects pursuant to special regulations.2  
 
Article 2 
Definition of terms  
 
For purposes of this Act 
a) design  shall mean an appearance of a product or  its part consisting in features which are 
particularly lines, contours, colours, shape, texture  or materials of a product itself  or of its 
ornamentation; 
b) registered design shall mean a design entered into the Register of designs; 
c) product shall mean any material item produced indus trially or by handicraft, including wrapping, 
design, graphic symbols, typographic features or parts intended for assembling of a complex 
product with exception of  computer programmes; 
d) complex product shall mean a product consisting of several parts which can be replaced and 
which enable a product to be disassembled and re-assembled. 
 
Article 3 
Terms of protection 
 
(1) Design which is new and has individual character shall be protected as a design. 
 (2) Design used in a product, which is part of a co mplex product or design embodied in such product 
shall be considered to be new and to have individual character:  
a) if a component remains visible also after it has been incorporated into a complex product 
during normal use; and 
b) if visible features meet a term of novelty and individual character.  
 
                                                     
 
2 e.g. Act No. 383/1997 Coll. Copyright Act and act amending the Customs Act as amended by later 
regulations, Act No. 55/1997 Coll. on Trademarks in wording of Act No. 577/2001 Coll.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 3 
 
 
(3) Normal use pursuant to paragraph 2(a) shall mean using by final user with exception of 
maintenance, service or repair works. 
 
Article 4 
Novelty 
 
(1) Design shall be considered new if no identical d esign has been made available to public before 
priority date (Article 32). 
 (2) Designs shall be considered identical if thei r features differ only in immaterial details.  
 
Article 5 
Individual character 
 (1) Design shall be considered to have individual ch aracter if general impression raised for informed 
user differs from general impression raised for such user by any design which has been made 
available to public before priority date (Article 32).  
 (2) The degree of freedom of the a designer (Article  11) in creating a design shall be taken into 
consideration in assessing individual character.  
 
Article 6 
Disclosure 
 
(1) Design shall be deemed to have been made availa ble to public if it was published after its entry 
into the Register of Designs (hereinafter referred to as “Register”) or exhibited, used in trade or 
made available to public in other way before priori ty date. This shall not apply if such disclosure 
could not reasonably become known in normal comm ercial relation to experts in a concerned 
branch before priority date (Article 32). 
 (2) Design shall not be deemed to have been made av ailable to public if it has been disclosed to a 
third person under the condition of confidentiality.  
 
(3) Design for which protection according to this Act has been claimed shall not be deemed to have 
been made available to public if it has been made  available to public by a designer, his successor 
in title or by a third person as a result of provid ing information or an action of a designer or his 
successor in title time limit in a period of 12 months  before priority date (Article 32); This shall 
also apply in case if design h as been made available to public as a consequence of an abuse of 
relation to designer or to his successor in title. 
 
Article 7 
Designs set by their technical func tion and designs of interconnections 
 
(1) In examination of terms for entry of d esign into the Register, the features which 
a) are explicitly set by technical function of a product; 
b) have to be reproduced in their exact form a nd size so that a product in which a design is 
embodied or in which a design is used could be  mechanically connected with other product or 
placed in, around or against such product so th at either product could perform its function; 
shall not be taken into the consideration. 
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 4  
 
(2) Paragraph 1 shall not apply if a purpose of a desi gn, which meets the terms pursuant to Articles 4 
and 5, is to enable multiple ass embly or connection of mutually interchangeable pr oducts within a 
unit principle. 
 
Registration and exceptions of registration 
Article 8 
 
The Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) shall 
enter a design which meets terms accordi ng to this Act into the Register.  
 
Article 9 
 The Office shall not enter into the Register a design which is in contradiction with public order or 
good manners.  
Article 10 
 (1) The Office shall not enter into the Register a de sign identical with  design which is  a subject-
matter of design application (hereinafter referred to as “application”) filed in the Slovak Republic 
with prior priority date (Article  32) provided its registration.  
 
(2) The Office shall not enter into the Register a desi gn if an identical design has been registered in 
the Slovak Republic with prior priority date (Article 32). 
 
Designer 
Article 11 
 
(1) Designer is a person, who has created a design by his own creative activity. 
 (2) Designer shall have right to design including right to file an application (hereinafter referred to as 
“right to design”). 
 
(3) Designer shall have right to be mentioned in an application if an applicant is other person and 
shall have right to be entered into the Register  as a designer if an owner of a registered design 
(Article 15) is other person. 
 (4) Co-designer is a person, who participated in creation of a design by his creative activity. 
 
(5) Co-designer shall have right to design to extent  of his participation on creation of a design. 
Participation of co-designers shall be in same  extent unless otherwise agreed or unless relative 
body decides otherwise. 
 
Article 12 
 
(1) If designer has created a design within the frame work of fulfilling tasks from an employment 
relationship or similar relationship,  right to design shall pass to an employer, until parties of this 
relationship agreed otherwise. Right of being author shall remain unaffected. 
 
(2) Designer who has created a design pursuant to pa ragraph 1 shall be obliged to inform  the 
employer about this fact in writing immediately and at the same time he shall submit image of 
design. 
 (3) The employer is entitled to exercise right to design vis-à-vis  designer in writing within a period of 
three months from notification pursuant to paragraph 2. If an employer fails exercise right to  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 5 
 
 
design within this time limit in writing, this right  shall pass back to a designer. An employer as 
well as a designer shall be obliged to  preserve confidentiality about design vis-à-vis third parties 
within this time limit.  An employer shall be  obliged to preserve confidentiality about design 
within a period of one month time limit from date, when right to design passed back to designer.  
 
(4) Designer against whom right to design pursuant to paragraph 3 has been exercised shall be 
entitled to an appropriate remuneration from an employer. Contribution achievable by 
exploitation or other application of design sha ll be decisive for determining the amount of 
remuneration. Material share of an employer in design creation as well as extent and contents of 
designer’s workload shall be taken into consider ation. If remuneration agreed or determined by 
relative body does not evidently correspond with co ntribution achieved by later exploitation or 
other application of a design, a designer shall ha ve the right to supplementary compensation.  
 (5) Rights and obligations pursuant to paragraphs  1 to 4 shall remain unaffected after legal 
relationship between designer and employer has ceased. 
 
Article 13 
 
(1) Right to design shall be subject to assignment or transfer. 
 (2) Right to design, with an exception to right to au thorship, shall belong to successors in title of 
persons listed in Article 11(2) a nd (5) and in  Article 12(1). 
 (3) Agreement on assignment of right to design shall be made in writing. 
 (4) Right to design shall be transferred to other person in cases stipulated by special regulations
3. 
 
(5) Together with assignment or transfer of right to  design, which shall be executed after filing an 
application, assignment or transfer of rights from application shall occur at the same time. Assignment or transfer of rights from application shall become effective vis-à-vis  third parties as 
from date of its entry into the Register.  
 
Article 14 
Scope of protection 
 
(1) Scope of protection shall be determined by image of design as it is entered into the Register, with 
exception of features pursuant to paragraph 7. Sc ope of protection shall in clude any design, which 
shall not raise different general impression for informed user. 
 (2) Extent of creative latitude of  designer freedom (A rticle 11)  in creation of design shall be taken 
into consideration in assessmen t of scope of protection. 
 
PART TWO 
 
EFFECT OF REGISTERED DESIGN 
 
Article 15 
Owner of registered design 
 
(1) Owner of registered design shall be a legal or na tural person entered as owner into the Register.  
 
                                                     
 
3 e.g. Articles 69, 479 and 487 of  the Commercial Code, Articles 460 and 469 of the Civil Code, 
Articles 12 to 17 of the Act No 111/1990 Coll. on State Enterprise as amended. IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 6  
 
(2) Several persons may be co-owners of registered design. 
 
Article 16 
Co-ownership of registered design 
 
(1) Provisions of generally binding regulation
4 shall apply mutatis mutandis  to regulation of 
relationships among  registered design co-owners,  provided that this Act states otherwise. 
 (2) Each registered design co-owner has right to exploit registered design. 
 
(3) An agreement on abandonment of registered d esign co-ownership and on mutual compensation 
shall be made in writing. 
 (4) If registered design co-owner or design co-app licant has no legal successor, after death or 
forfeiture of registered design co-owner or desi gn co-applicant his share shall be transferred to 
other registered design co-owners or design co -applicants in a rate appropriate to their 
proportionate ownership.   
 (5) If registered design co-owner surrenders his share, it shall be transferred to other registered design 
co-owners in a rate appropriate to their proportionate ownership. 
 
Article 17 
Rights conferred by registration 
 
(1) Registered design owner shall have an exclusive right  to exploit registered design, to prevent third 
parties from exploitation of registered design without his consent, to provide his consent with 
exploitation of registered design, to assign regist ered design to another person or to establish a 
lien to registered design. 
 (2) Exploitation of registered design shall be in pa rticular production, offer, placing on the market, 
import, export or using of a produc t in which registered design is incorporated or on which it is 
applied, or stocking such product for these purposes. 
 
(3) Registered design shall be effective from the date  of its entry into the Register. If registered 
design has not been published (Article 35(2)) in the Official Journal of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referr ed to as “Journal”), the owner shall exercise 
rights conferred by registration into the Register vis-à-vis  third parties, only if  design included 
within scope of protection has not been used in a good faith. 
 
Article 18 
Exhaustion of rights 
 
Registered design owner shall not be entitled to prohib it third parties to dispose of a product in which 
is design included within scope of protection embodi ed or on which is design included within scope 
of protection used, after placing such product on the market by registered design owner or with his 
consent.    
Article 19 
Limitations of effects of registered design 
 (1) Right of registered design owner shall not be exercised vis-à-vis  person who before the priority 
right (Article 32) has exploited a design included within scope of protection in a good faith or has 
                                                     
 
4 Articles 136 and 142 of the Civil Code.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 7 
 
 
made appropriate arrangement immediately aimi ng at exploitation of a design included within 
scope of protection independently from designer or registered design owner (hereinafter referred 
to as “prior user”) in the territory of the Slova k Republic.  In case of doubts acting of prior user 
shall be considered as acting in a good faith, unless proved otherwise. 
 
(2) Assignment or transfer of right of prior user for exploitation of design pursuant to paragraph 1 
shall be possible exclusively as a part of assignment or transfer of a company or its part, within which design included within scope of protecti on is being used or ap propriate arrangement 
immediately aiming at exploitation of a design included within scope of protection has been 
made. 
 
Article 20 
 
Rights conferred by registered design shall not be applied to: 
(a) action performed privately and for non-commercial purposes; 
(b) action performed for experimental purposes; 
(c) reproduction for purposes of citations or teaching provi ded that such action is in compliance  with 
fair trade practice and does not unduly prejudice usual exploitation of design, provided that a 
source is mentioned; 
(d) accessories of vessels and aircrafts (hereinafter refe rred to as “vehicles”) of other states if  these 
crafts temporarily enter the territory of the Slovak Republic; 
(e) import of replacement parts and accessories to the territory of the Slovak Republic for purposes of 
repairing vehicles pursuant to sub-paragraph (d); 
(f) performing of repairing vehicles pursuant to sub-paragraph (d). 
 
Article 21 
Assignment of registered design 
 
(1) Registered design shall be assigned to another person by an agreement made in writing. 
 (2) An assignment of registered design shall have legal effects vis-à-vis  third parties from the date of 
entry into the Register. 
 
(3) Rights of third parties acquired before the date of entry of registered design assignment into the 
Register shall remain unaffected. 
 
Article 22 
Transfer of registered design 
 (1) Registered design shall be transferred to a ne w owner in cases stipulated by generally binding 
regulations
2.  
 (2) Transfer of registered design shall have legal effects vis-à-vis  third parties from the date of entry 
in the Register.  
 (3) Rights of third parties acquired before the date  of registered design transfer shall remain 
unaffected. 
 
Article 23 
Right of lien 
 
(1) The right of lien on registered design may be established. 
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 8  
 
(2) Provisions of generally binding regulation
5 shall be applied mutatis mutandis  to the right of lien 
and to relations between pledge  creditor and pledge debtor. 
 (3) An agreement on establishing the right of lien shall be made in writing. 
 
(4) The contractual right of lien shall begin on the date of entry into the Register. 
 
Article 24 
Licence agreement 
 
(1) The licence agreement (hereinafter referred to  as “licence”) shall grant a consent with 
exploitation of registered design.  
 (2) The rise, lapse and enforcement of a right fro m the licence agreement shall be governed by 
provisions of a generally binding regulation
6. 
 
(3) The licence agreement shall be valid only with co nsent of all co-owners of registered design, 
unless otherwise stated. 
 (4) The licence agreement shall have legal effects vis-à-vis  third parties from the day of entry into the 
Register. 
 
(5) The granted licence shall be considered non-ex clusive, unless the licence agreement stipulates 
otherwise. 
 (6) Assignment or transfer of a right of contractual licence holder shall be possible exclusively as 
part of assignment or transfer of a company or its  part, within which registered design is being 
exploited on basis of contractual licence, unl ess the licence agreement stipulates otherwise. 
 (7) In case of unauthorised interference with rights protected by this Act or jeopardising these rights 
the licence holder shall have same rights as registered design owner.  
 
Article 25 
Validity and term of protection of registered design 
 
(1) Registered design shall be valid five years from the date of filing an application (Article 32). 
 
(2) The Office shall extend registered design validity on request for registered design validity 
extension filed by registered design owner or one of registered design co-owners repeatedly four 
times for another five years up to total term of  protection 25 years from the date of filing an 
application (Article 32).  
 (3) Request for registered design validity extension sh all be filed by registered design owner or one 
of registered design co-owners at the earliest durin g the last year of its validity. If request for 
registered design validity extension was not been file d during the last year of its validity at latest 
on the date which is identical with filing date of  application (Article 32), request for registered 
design validity extension shall be  deemed not to be filed.  
 
(4) If  request for registered design validity extensi on has not been filed pursuant to paragraph 3, 
registered design owner or one of registered desi gn co-owners shall be entitled  to file the request 
within the additional time limit of six months fro m the date, on which the request was supposed to 
                                                     
 
5 Article 151(a) to (j) and Article 552 of the Civil Code. 
6 Articles 508 to 515 of the Commercial Code.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 9 
 
 
be filed at latest pursuant to paragraph 3. If requ est for registered design validity extension is not 
filed within this additional time limit, validity of  registered design shall expire to the date on 
which pursuant to paragraph 3 request for register ed design validity extension was supposed at the 
latest to be filed. 
 
(5) Pledge creditor (Article 23) may request the Offi ce in writing to invite him to file request for 
registered design validity extension, if pledge debtor as registered design owner shall not file 
request for registered design validity extension within the time limit pursuant to paragraph 3. 
 (6) Registered design shall lapse after inefficient expiry of three months time limit from delivery of 
invitation to file request for registered design va lidity extension pursuant to paragraph 5 to the 
pledge creditor (Article 23). 
 (7) Rights of third parties, who, after inefficient e xpiry of a period for filing request for registered 
design validity extension pursuant to  paragraph 3, started to explo it design in a good faith or have 
made evident preparations for such exploitati on, shall remain unaffected by the extension of 
validity performed on the basis of request for regi stered design validity extension filed in an 
additional period.   
 (8) Period for filing request for registered design valid ity extension shall be interrupted from the date 
of delivery of request for registration of court proceedings on right to design into the Register 
(Article 42(3)) up to expiry of  six months time  limit from the date of legal court decision.  
  
Article 26 
Lapse of registered design 
 
(1) Registered design shall lapse  
a) by expiry of its validity; 
b) from the date of effectiveness of abandonment of  registered design pursuant to paragraph 2. 
 (2) Abandonment o registered design shall be effec tive from the date of delivery of notice on 
abandonment to the Office, or from the date whic h is stated in the notice as a date, on which 
registered design owner or all registered design co-owners abandon registered design. 
 (3) Abandonment of registered design which affects third parties rights entered into the Register shall 
come into effect only when a written consent of a party whose rights and justified interests could 
be affected lapse of registered design is submitte d. The same shall apply in case of existence of 
litigation entered into the Register, the subject-mat ter of which is a right to registered design 
namely to expiry of six months from the day of a court decision validity.  
 
Article 27 
Infringement of rights 
 
(1) In case of infringement of rights protected by this Act or jeopardising of these rights, person 
whose right has been infringed or  jeopardised is entitled to claim prohibition of infringement or 
jeopardising of his rights and to eliminate consequences of infringement. 
 
(2) If damage has been caused by infringement of right s pursuant to paragraph 1, the aggrieved party 
has right to compensation of actual damage including profit lost. If a non-pecuniary injury has been caused by infringement of rights, the aggrieved party shall have right to adequate 
satisfaction, which can be in form of pecuniary compensation. ⁵
a) 
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 10  
 
(3) Aggrieved party to which pecuniary or non-pecu niary injury has been caused directly by 
execution of precaution ordered by a court on reque st filed without adequate reason shall have 
right to compensation as well as right to sa tisfaction pursuant to paragraph 2.  
 
Article 27a 
 
(1) Registered design owner may request in infringement or jeopardising of his rights protected by 
this Act that a person infringing or jeopardising his rights provided him information related to 
origin of a product infringing rights pursuant to th is Act and to circumstances of its placing on 
the market.  
 
(2) Information pursuant to paragr aph 1 shall contain particularly: 
      a) name and surname or business name or name and place of permanent residence or place     of 
business, or place  of business  of a producer, processer, storekeeper, distributor, provider, dealer and other previous holders of a product;  
       b) indications on produced, processed, pr ovided or ordered quantity and price of relevant 
products. 
 (3)  To provide information pursuant to para graphs 1 and 2 is obliged also a person who 
       a) has in possession products infringing rights pursuant to this Act;        b) exploits services infringing rights pursuant to this Act; 
       c) provides services exploited in activities related to infringement of rights pursuant to this Act; 
or 
       d) was indicated by a person mentioned in s ub-paragraphs a) to c) as a person participating in   
production, processing or distribution of produc ts or providing services infringing rights 
pursuant to this Act.  
  
Article 28 
Disputes hearing 
 
(1) Disputes on rights pursuant to this Act shall be h eard and ruled by courts, unless this Act states 
otherwise.  
 
(2) The court shall order on request that products, ma terials or instruments by means of which rights 
protected by this Act are infringed or jeopardised were a) withdrawn from a trade network; 
b) definitely removed from a trade network;  
c) secured in other way by preventing further infringement or jeopardising of right; 
d) destroyed in a suitable way. 
 
(3) Provisions pursuant to paragraph 2 shall be ex ecuted at expense of a person infringing or 
jeopardising rights protected by this Act, unless special circumstances give reason for other process.  
 
(4) Request pursuant to paragraph 2(d) in the part re lated to process of destruction of objects shall not 
be binding for the court. 
 (5) The court shall not confer right to provide info rmation pursuant to Article 27a, if seriousness of 
jeopardising or infringement of right were inadequate to seri ousness of consequences resulting 
from fulfilment of obligation imposed in such way.  
  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 11 
 
 
Article 29 
 
(1) In protection of rights pursuant to this Act the court may impose by precaution7 same obligations 
as in the decision on the merit of the case if any delay could cause to entitled person a hardly 
reclaimable pecuniary or non-pecuniary injury. 
 
(2) Within a decision on precaution the court may, also without request, impose a duty to a plaintiff 
to pay a deposit of an adequate amount or to im plicate that the decision comes into the force by 
execution of an imposed duty. The court shall take  into account, within its deciding on the amount 
of a warranty deposit, the seriousness of a pecuni ary or non-pecuniary injury which can occur to 
the adverse party as well as assets of the plaintiff therewith that imposing a duty to pay a deposit 
shall not be the substantial impediment  of efficient application of right.  
 (3) The court may on request decide on giving the warranty deposit over to the adverse party as a 
compensation of pecuniary or non-pecuniary injury in finance caused directly by execution of 
precaution issued without adequate reason. 
 (4) If within the time limit of six months from detec tion of injury occurrence pursuant to paragraph 3, 
compensation or satisfaction is not applied at th e  court or an  agreement on using the warranty 
deposit between parties is not concluded, th e court shall refund the warranty deposit. 
 
PART THREE 
 
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE OFFICE 
 
Article 30 
 
The Act on Administrative Procedures
8, except provisions of  Articles 19, 23, 28 to 30, 32, 39, 49, 50, 
59(1) and 61(1), shall be applied to proceedings  before the Office pursuant to this Act.  
 
Article 31 
Application 
 
(1) A person with right to design pursuant to Articles 11( 2) and (5), 12(1) or 13(2) shall be entitled to 
file an application.  
 (2) If several persons have right to design, one or some of these persons suo nomine  shall be entitled 
to file an application. The Office shall enter th is person into the Register as a co-applicant on 
request supported with written agre ement concluded between an applicant or applicants and a 
person entitled to file an appli cation pursuant to paragraph 1. 
 (3) Application shall contain: 
a) request for entry design into the Register (hereina fter referred to as “request for registration”); 
b) identification data of an applicant; 
c) identification data of a designer or statement of an  applicant that designer has waived right to be 
mentioned in an application; 
d) indication of a product in which design is embodied or to which it is applied; 
e) image of any design, registration of which is re quired in an application and from which substance 
of a design is possible to be distinguished exactly; 
f) document on acquiring right to a design, if an applic ant is not a designer; this shall not be applied 
if right to design has been transferred pursuant to Article 12 (1). 
                                                     
 
7 Articles 74 to 77 and Article 102 of the Code of Civil Procedure. 
8  Act No. 71/1967 Coll. on Administrative Procedures (The Administrative Procedure Code). IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 12  
 
 (4) Application may also contain:  
a) request for design publication delay (Article 35 (2)),  
b) description presenting image, 
c) classifying pursuant to international classification
9. 
 
(5) Application may contain request for registration of  only one design into the Register (hereinafter 
referred to as “simple application”) or request for registration of several designs into the Register 
(hereinafter referred to as “collective applicati on”) belonging to one class of the international 
classification8; this shall not apply to designs  consisting in ornamentation.  
 
(6) Collective application shall contain list of designs for which registration is requested. 
 (7) Data pursuant to paragraph 3(d) and paragraph 4(b) shall not affect scope of protection resulting 
from a design as such. 
 
Article 32 
Right of priority 
 
(1) For purposes to start proceedings and for purposes to establish priority right,  filing date shall be 
delivery date or date of filing amen dment, which shall at least contain 
a) data indicating an apparent intention of an applicant to file an application; 
b) data allowing identification of an appli cant and contact with an applicant; and 
c) image of any design for which registration is requi red in an application and from which substance 
of a design is possible to be distinguished exactly. 
 
(2) Priority right for an applicant shall be established:  
a) on filing date of an application or 
b) on priority date pursuant to an international convention
10.  
 (3) An applicant shall apply priority right pursuant to  paragraph 2(b) in an application and within the 
period of three months from the day of its filing he shall prove this right by a priority right 
document. 
 (4) Priority right pursuant to paragraph 3 may be app lied from the first application filed in a state or 
in relation to a state, which is contractual party to international convention
9 or which is a member 
of the World Trade Organisation11. Otherwise this right may be  applied only under the condition 
of reciprocity.  
 (5) The Office shall not take into consideration an application of priority right and proving priority 
right which fails to meet conditions pursuant to paragraph 3 and requirements pursuant to 
generally binding provision (Article 50). The Offi ce shall notify this fact to an applicant.   
 
(6) The Office shall issue a document certifying priori ty right following an application on request of 
an applicant or registered design owner.  
                                                     
 
9 Decree of the Minister of Fore ign Affairs No 28/1981 Coll. on Locarno Agreement Establishing an 
International Classification for Industrial Designs, signed at Locarno on October 8, 1968. 
10 Decree of the Minister of Fore ign Affairs No 64/1975 Coll. on Paris Convention on Protection of 
Industrial Property of 20 March 1883 revised in Brussels on 14. December 1900, in Washington on 2 June 1911, 
in the Hague on 6. November 1925, in London on 2. June 1934, in Lisbon on 31. October 1958 and in Stockholm on 14. July 1967 as amended by Decree No 81/1958 Coll. 
11 Communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic No 152/2000 Coll. on 
Conclusion of the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 13 
 
 
 (7) Priority right shall be applie d only from one application. 
  
Article 33 
Interruption of application proceedings 
 
(1) The Office shall interrupt application proceedi ngs after the court proceedings started.  
 (2) Time limits pursuant to this Act shall be stopped during interruption of proceedings. 
 
(3) When decision of a court comes into effect pursu ant to Article 40(1)(a) the Office shall continue 
in proceedings interrupted pursuant to paragraph 1. 
 
Article 34 
Examination of application 
 
(1) Within examination the Office shall ascertain whether 
a) conditions for conferring priority right pursuant to  Article 32 have been met; 
b) application meets the conditions pursuant to  Article 31(1), (3), (5) and (6); 
c) application meets requirements pursuant to ge nerally binding provision  (Article 50); 
d) an applicant is represented by  an authorised representative
12 (Article 49); 
e) application contains a design, which meets cond itions pursuant to Articles 2 to 7,  Article 9 
and  Article 10.  
 
(2) In case of irregularities pursuant to paragraph 1(a), (c ) or (d) or pursuant to Article 31(3), (5) or 
(6), the Office shall invite an applicant to correct these irregular ities within the specified time 
limit. If an applicant fails to correct irregul arities, the Office shall suspend application 
proceedings. An applicant shall be notified in an invitation of this consequence. 
 (3) If an application fails to meet conditions pursuant to paragraph 1(e) or pursuant to Article 31(1), 
the Office shall refuse an application. Before an application is refused, the Office shall enable an 
applicant to respond to ascertained reasons  for refusal of the application.  
 (4) Applicant is entitled to divide collective applicati on and to file excluded a pplication before entry 
of design into the Register. Priority right pursuant to an international convention
9 and the filing 
date of an application as filed shall retain also for excluded application if it contains only designs 
mentioned in an application as filed.  
 
Article 35 
Entry of design into the Register 
 (1) If a subject matter of an application meets conditions  pursuant to this Act, the Office shall enter 
design into the Register and an applicant shall become registered design owner. The Office shall 
issue certificate on entry of a design into the Regi ster to registered design owner, design shall be 
published and entry shall be announced in the Journal. 
 (2) If an applicant has requested to defer publicatio n of design for the time limit not extending 30 
months from the date of the priority right rise,  the Office shall publish registered design after 
                                                     
 
 12Article 40 of the Act No 237/1991 Coll. on Patent  Attorneys as amended by the Act of the National 
Council of the Slovak Republic No 90/1993 Coll. 
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 14  
 
expiration of the requested time limit; the Office  shall notify deferral of publication of registered 
design together with notification of registration pursuant to paragraph 1. 
 (3) The court proceedings on infringement of rights from registered design, which has not been 
published yet, shall start only under the conditi on that person against whose proposal has been 
instituted should be enabled to access data containe d in the Register and in the file related to 
registered design. 
 
Cancellation of registered design 
Article 36 
 
(1) The Office shall cancel registered desi gn (hereinafter referred to as “cancellation” ) from the 
Register, if 
a) registered design shall not correspond to definition of design pursuant to Article 2; 
b) it ascertains, that design has been registered cont rary to conditions for registration pursuant to 
Articles 3 to 7, Article 9 or Article 10; 
c) its owner is not entitled to design pursuant to Artic le 11(2) and (5),  Article 12(1) or  Article 
13(2); 
d) distinctive sign is used in registered design, wh ich confers to owner of this sign right to claim 
prohibition of using such sign before priority  date (Article 32) of registered design; 
e) registered design constitutes an unauthorised use of  a work protected pursuant to copyright law; 
f) registered design constitutes unauthorised use of  any features mentioned in an international 
convention
13 or other symbolic features, flags or  escutcheons to which an international 
convention is not related and wh ich  are of particular public interest in a member state. 
 (2) The Office shall cancel industrial design registered  pursuant to existing regulations, if proceedings 
started on proposal of third party or ex officio  have proved that conditions for its registration pursuant 
to rules valid in time of its registration were not met. 
 (3) Only person with right to design pursuant to valid decision of a court is entitled to file request for 
cancellation of registered design pursuant to paragraph 1(c).  
 (4) Person whose prior rights have been infringed is  entitled to request cancellation of registered 
design pursuant to paragraph 1(d) and (e). 
 (5) Person affected by such unauthor ised use is entitled to request cancellation of registered design 
pursuant to paragraph 1(f). 
 
(6) The Office may cancel registered design pursuan t to paragraph 1(a) and (b) also on its own 
initiative. 
 (7) Registered design may be cancelled partially pursuant to paragraph 1 (b), (d), (e) or (f), if it meets 
terms of protection also after such cancellation. 
 
Article 37 
 (1) If registered design is cancelled, it shall be deemed not to have been registered.  
 
                                                     
 
13 Article 6ter of the Decree of the Minister of Foreign Affairs No 64/1975 Coll. on Paris Convention 
on Protection of Industrial Property of 20. March 1883 revised in Brussels on 14. December 1900, in 
Washington on 2. June 1911, in the Hague on 6. November 1925, in London on 2. June 1934, in Lisbon on 31. 
October 1958 and in Stockholm on 14. July 1967 as amended by Decree No 81/1958 Coll.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 15 
 
 
(2) If a plaintiff proves his legal interest, cancellation may be performed also after registered design 
has lapsed. 
 (3) The Office shall publish decision on cancellation in the Official Journal.  
 
Article 38 
 (1) If request for cancellation shall not contain re quirements stipulated by generally binding 
regulation (Article 50) or a plaintiff shall not be represented by an authorised representative
11, the 
Office shall invite the plaintiff to correct ir regularities within the specified time limit.  If a 
plaintiff fails to comply with delivered invitation within the specified time limit, the Office shall 
suspend proceedings on request for cancellation.  The plaintiff shall be notified about the 
consequence of proceedings su spension in the invitation. 
 (2) If proceedings have not been suspended pursuant to  paragraph 1, the Office shall deliver request 
for cancellation to registered design owner and i nvites him concurrently to respond to request 
within the specified time limit. 
 (3) If registered design owner fails to respond within th e time limit specified in the notice, the Office 
shall decide on basis of file contents.  
 
(4) The Office shall proceed pursuant to paragraph 3 also in case if registered design owner is not 
being represented by an authorised representative
11. If registered design owner fails to comply 
with notice for submitting authorisation within the sp ecified time limit, he shall be deemed not to 
have responded to request for cancellation.  
 
(5) If character of matter requires, the Office shall or der an oral proceedings. The Office shall set a 
date for oral proceedings and shall concurrently  deliver registered design owner’s response to 
request for cancellation to the plaintiff. 
 (6)  The Office may continue in proceedings and decide on merit also in case that duly summoned 
party fails to participate in oral proceedings.  
 
(7) Extending or supplementing request for can cellation as well as extending or supplementing 
registered design owner’s response shall be inadmissible; the Office shall not take into consideration such extending or supplemen ting within proceeding and deciding.  
 
Article 39 
 The plaintiff is obliged to pay a caution 2,500 S KK together with request for cancellation. If it is 
proved that request for cancellation has been eligible , the Office shall refund a caution without delay.  
 
Article 40 
Forfeiture of registered design and transfer 
 (1) The Office shall forfeit on request registered d esign from owner and  requesting person shall be 
entered as registered design owner, if 
 
a) it has been determined by valid decision of a c ourt, that the person originally entered as an 
owner was not entitled to right to design pursuant to   Article 11(2) and (5),  Article 12(1) or  
Article 13(2); 
b) person, who has right to design according to va lid decision of a court or his successor in title 
has filed  request, and IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 16  
 
c) request has been delivered within a time limit of six months from the date of validity of a 
court decision. 
 (2) Request for forfeiture of registered design and tran sfer shall be furnished with valid decision of a 
court pursuant to paragraph 1(a).  
 
(3) Provided that condition pursuant to paragraph 1(a) has been met, if request pursuant to paragraph 
1 has not been filed or it has not been filed by an  authorised person or w ithin the specified time 
limit, the Office shall cancel registered design ex officio  [Article 36(1)(c)]. 
 
(4) Paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis  to forfeiture of rights from an application and their 
transfer to entitled person . If transfer of rights from an application is not executed pursuant to 
paragraph 3, the Office shall refuse the application.  
 (5) After entry of entitled person as registered desi gn owner pursuant to paragraph 1 licences and 
other rights granted to originally entered owners shall lapse.  
 (6)  If originally entered owner or third party, who acquired a licence from the owner, before the start 
of court proceedings on right to design, in good faith has exploited design falling within scope of  
protection or has made evident preparations direct ly aimed to exploitation of design falling within 
scope of protection, may continue with exploita tion of design, if they request for granting non-
exclusive licence under usual conditions within the time limit of three months from the date of 
entry of an authorised person into the Register. 
 (7) Article 38 shall apply mutatis mutandis  to proceedings pursuant to paragraphs 1 to 4. 
 
Article 41 
Determination proceedings 
 (1) On request, the Office shall determine, whether the subject matter mentioned in request falls 
within the scope of protection of a certain registered design (hereinafter referred to as “determination request”). 
 
(2) On explicit request of the proponent,  also a person  whose rights and obligations may be affected 
by  decision on determination shall be a part y to proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1.  
 (3) If determination request have been filed in c onnection with pending c ourt proceedings, subject 
matter of which is right protected by this Act, all parties to court proceedings whose rights and 
obligations may be affected by proceedings and deciding shall be parties to the determination 
proceedings. 
 (4) Article 38(1), (5) first sentence and (6) shall apply mutatis mutandis  for determination 
proceedings party to which is requester exclusiv ely, otherwise Article 38(1) to (6) shall apply 
mutatis mutandis for determination proceedings.   
 
Article 42 
Registration of licence, right of lien, assignment or tr ansfer of registered design and court litigation in 
the Register 
 
(1)  Article 38(1) shall apply mutatis mutandis  to request for registration of licence, right of lien, 
assignment or transfer of registered design (herei nafter referred to as “request for registration of 
right”) or court litigation into the Register. 
  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 17 
 
 
(2) In case of any doubts, the Office is entitled to require  filing verified copy or eventually original of 
a document proving acquiring a right or other supplementary data.  
 (3) On basis of request of a party to court proceedings, subject matter of which is a right protected by 
this Act, furnished with a counterpart of filing w ith the court authorised by the court, the Office 
shall enter into the Register th e fact that the court proceedings are pending as well as the subject 
matter of proceedings, with effect from delivery date of request to the Office. 
 
Article 43 
Further proceeding 
 
(1) On basis of request of a party to proceedings on extension of a time limit set by the Office for 
performing an act, filed before the expiry of such  time limit, the Office is entitled to extend the 
time limit. 
 
(2) If a party to proceedings before the Office failed to  comply with the time limit for performing an 
act set by the Office, he is entitled to ask the Offi ce for further proceeding and at the same time to 
perform the omitted act no later than two months fro m delivery of a decision of the Office issued 
as a consequence of failure to comply with the time limit. 
 (3) Request shall be refused pursuant to paragraphs 1 or 2 in case of failure to comply with the time 
limit for filing request for further proceeding pursuant to paragraph 2 and restitutio in integrum 
(Article 44(1)). 
 (4) Request shall be refused pursuant to paragraph 2 in case of failure to comply with the time limit 
for response of an owner to request for cancellation (Article 38(2)).  
 
(5) The Office shall refuse request for extension of tim e limit or request for further proceeding which 
fails to comply with conditions pursuant to para graphs 1 or 2 or shall be refused pursuant to 
paragraphs 3 or 4; before the re quest is refused, the Office shall enable the requester to respond to 
ascertained reasons on basis of which the request is to be refused. 
 
(6) If the Office satisfies request for further pro ceeding, legal effects of decision issued as a 
consequence of failure to comply with th e time limit shall cease or shall not arise. 
 (7) If the Office fails to decide on request pursuant to  paragraphs 1 or 2 within two months from the 
date of delivery, request sha ll be deemed to be satisfied. 
 
Article 44 
Restitutio in integrum 
 
(1) If a party to proceedings before the Office unintenti onally fails to comply with legal time limit or 
time limit for performing an act set by the Office  whereas the consequence of failure to perform 
this act is proceedings suspension or forfeiture of  other right, he is entitled to ask the Office for 
restitutio in integrum  and at the same time to perform the omitted act within two months from 
elimination of the impediment  causing the failure of performing the act at the latest within 12 months from expiry of non-complied time limit.  
 
(2) Party to proceedings shall be obliged to sustain request pursuant to paragraph 1 and to state facts 
preventing performing the act. The Office shall not take into consideration statements submitted after time limits pursuant to paragra ph 1 expired in deciding about request.  
 (3) 
In case of reasonable doubts about veracity of a st atement pursuant to paragraph 2, the Office is 
entitled to invite the requester to prove his statements other way.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 18  
 
 (4) Request for restitutio in integrum  shall not be satisfied in case of failure to comply with time 
limits for: a) filing request for extension of registered design validity in an additional time limit; 
b) claiming  priority right (Article 32); 
c) filing an appeal (Article 46); 
d) delivery of legal court decision pursuant to  Article 40(1)(c); 
e) performing acts pursuant to paragraph 1; 
f) performing acts pursuant to  Article 43(3) or (4). 
 
(5) The Office shall refuse request for restitutio in integrum  which fails to comply with conditions 
pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2, or it is not possibl e to be satisfied pursuant to paragraph 4, or the 
requester fails to prove his statements pursuant to  paragraph 3; before the request is refused the 
Office shall enable the requester to respond to ascer tained reasons on basis of which request is to 
be refused.    
 
(6) If the Office satisfies request for restitutio in integrum,  legal effects of decision issued as a 
consequence of failure to comply with the time limit shall cease or shall not arise.  
 (7) Rights of third parties, acquired within the terr itory of the Slovak Republic in a good faith from 
validity of a decision issued as a consequence of  failure to comply with the time limit till 
forfeiture of legal effects of this decision pur suant to paragraph 6, shall remain unaffected. 
 (8) Assignment or transfer of rights pursuant to paragraph 7 shall be possible exclusively as a part of 
assignment or transfer of a company or its part, within which registered design is being used.  
 
Article 45 
Grounds for decision 
 
(1) Party to proceedings before the Office shall be  obliged to submit or propose evidence to support 
his statements.  
 
(2) The Office shall exercise evidence and evaluate evidence at its discretion, namely each evidence 
separately and all evidences in their mutual relations.  
 (3) The Office shall decide on basis of facts as certained from exercised evidences submitted or 
proposed by parties to proceedings.  
 
Article 46 
Remedies 
 
(1) An appeal against decision of  the Office may be lodged within one month time limit from 
delivery of decision; an appeal filed in due time shall have deferring effect.  
 
(2) The Office shall be bound by scope of an appeal in deciding on it; this shall not apply 
a) for matters in which proceedings can be started ex officio,  
b) for matters of joint rights or obligations concer ning several parties to proceedings on one side. 
 
(3) Filing an appeal shall not be admissible against decision by which 
a) request for further proceedings or for restitutio in integrum  has been satisfied, 
b) proceedings on application, to which court litigation  registered in the Register relates, has been 
suspended after submitting written consent of a pe rson, who filed request for registration of 
court litigation into the Register.  
  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 19 
 
 
Article 47 
Data accessibility 
 
(1) Before entry of design into the Register or be fore registered design is being published, where 
deferring of publication was requested, the Office shall be entitled to notify third parties without 
consent of an applicant only data, who is designer, who is an applicant, a name of an application 
and file number of an application and data about priority right.  
 (2) After entry of design into the Register, the Office sh all enable third party on request to inspect file 
relating the application and registered design.  
 
(3) If publication of registered design has been deferre d, the Office shall enable only person, who has 
been determined by registered design owner as an  infringer of rights protected by this Act, to 
inspect file after entry of design into th e Register and before its publication.  
 
(4) Right to a file inspection shall include right for making photocopies on payment.  
 (5) On written request and by proving emergent legal interest the Office shall be entitled to notify 
requester whether a person identified by him is or is  not stated in the application as a designer.   
 (6) On written request of registered design applicant or owner parts of file containing trade secret or 
other confidential information, publication of wh ich is not necessary to secure right to information 
of third parties including parties to proceedi ngs, shall be excluded from file inspection.   
 
Article 48 
Register and Official Journal 
 
(1) The Office shall keep the Register in which deci sive data concerning app lications and registered 
designs are entered.  
 (2) Data entered into the Register shall be consider ed valid unless a decision of a relevant authority 
states otherwise.  
 
(3) Changes in data entered into the Register en suing from valid and enforceable decision of a 
relevant authority shall be entered without delay into the Register by the Office after delivery of 
decision with a validity clause.  
 
(4) Entry of data and facts ensuing from law or fro m decision of a relevant authority pursuant to 
paragraph 3 shall not be considered a decision issu ed in proceedings pursuant to provisions of the 
Administrative Procedure Code
7. 
 (5) Any person shall be entitled to inspect the Register of registered designs; this shall not apply for 
designs, for which applicant requested to defe r publication (Article 35(2)), until expiry of 
requested time limit for deferral.  
 (6) The Office shall issue the Official Journal in wh ich facts concerning applications and registered 
designs are published and notified.  
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
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PART FOUR 
 
COMMON, AUTHORISING, TRANSITIONAL AND REVOCATION PROVISIONS 
 
Article 49 
Common provision 
 
(1) Parties with permanent residence or seat in a te rritory of a member state of an international 
treaty
10 or in a territory of a state which is a member to the World Trade Organisation11 shall have 
same rights and obligations as national applicants or  registered designs owners; if a state in which 
parties have permanent residence or seat is not a member state of an international treaty or a 
member of the World Trade Organisation, rights a nd obligations in accordance with this Act shall 
be conferred only under cond ition of reciprocity.  
 (2) Parties without permanent residence or seat in  the Slovak Republic shall be represented in 
proceedings on designs by an authorised representative
12.  
 (3) If a party to proceedings fails to comply with an  invitation of the Office within the specified time 
limit, the Office is entitled to suspend proceed ings. A party shall be notified about this 
consequence in the invitation. The Office shall su spend proceedings also on request of a person 
who filed the proposal to its beginning. The proposal for suspension of proceedings shall not be 
withdrawn.  
 (4) In case of proposal for suspension of proceedings on application to which a court litigation 
entered in the Register is related, the Office sh all suspend proceedings only after submission of a 
written consent of a person, who filed request for entry of the court litigation into the Register.  
 
(5) Unless this Act or generally binding regulation (Ar ticle 50) stipulates otherwise, filing with the 
Office shall be made in writing and in an official language
14.  
 (6) Filing with the Office may be made by means of electronic media. If such filing shall be supplied 
in a written form within time limit14 days, otherwi se such filing shall be deemed not to be filed. 
 
(7) The Office shall provide for an en forceable decision of the Office for Harmonisation in Internal 
Market pursuant to a special regulation
15with an acknowledgement of enforceability16.  
  
Article 50 
Authorising provision 
 
Generally binding provision issued by the Office shall stipulate details about 
a) method of filing and requirem ents of an application, 
b) method and requirements of claiming and proving priority right, 
c) requirements of a request for registered design va lidity extension, request for registered design 
validity extension in an additional time limit, requ est for delay of registered design publication,  
d) requirements of a request  for cancellation and forfeiture of registered design and transfer, request 
for determination, request for further proceedings and request for restitutio in integrum ,  
e) method of filing with the Office, delivery and about filing via electronic media,  
                                                     
 
14 Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No 270/1995 Coll. on official language of the 
Slovak Republic as amended. 
15 Section 71 of Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 of 12 December 2001 on Community designs. 
16 Section 275(1) of Civil Court Code.  IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
 Page 21 
 
 
f) method of filing and requirements of a request for entry of right, transfer or assignment of an 
application into the Register,  
g) the data entered in the Register and published in the Journal. 
 
Article 51 
Transitional provisions 
 
(1) Proceedings on applications of designs and pro ceedings on matters of registered designs which 
have not been concluded lawfully before this Act comes into effect  shall be concluded pursuant to 
this Act. In proceedings on request for remissi on of failure to comply with time limit actual 
regulations shall apply.  
 (2) Rights and relations from designs entered into the Re gister before the date of entry into force of 
this Act shall apply pursuant to this Act. Arising of these rights and relations as well as claims 
arising from them before of entry into force  of this Act comes into effect shall be assessed in 
accordance with provisions effective in time of their arising.  
 (3) Validity of registration of designs entered before of entry into force  of this Act comes into effect  
shall be assessed in accordance with an Act effectiv e in time of entry of design into the Register.  
 (4) If the term industrial design is being used in Ac ts and other special regulations, the term design 
shall be meant.  
 
Article 51a 
 
Legal acts of the European Communities and the European Union mentioned in Annex shall be 
governed by this Act.  
 
Article 52 
Repealing provision 
 The following shall be repealed 
1.  Article 1 in extent modifying legal relations and proceedings related to designs,  Articles 36 
to 71, Article 75(2) in extent modifying lega l relations and proceedings concerning industrial 
designs,  Article 83,  Article 86 in extent modi fying legal relations and proceedings concerning 
industrial designs and  Article 88(1) of the Ac t No. 527/1990 Coll. on Inventions, Industrial 
designs and Rationalisation proposals as amende d by the Act No. 519/1991 Coll., the Act of the 
National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 90/199 3 Coll., the Act of the National Council of 
the Slovak Republic No. 185/1994 Coll. and the Act No. 435/2001 Coll. on inventions, 
supplementary protection certificates and on am endment of some acts (the Patent Act),  
 2. Decree of the Federal Office for Inventions No . 550/1990 Coll. on procedure in matters of 
inventions and industrial desi gns as amended by the Act No. 435/2001 Coll. on inventions, 
supplementary protection certificates and on am endment of some acts (the Patent Act).  
 IP/N/1/SVK/D/2 
Page 22  
 
Article 53 
Entry into force 
 
This Act shall enter into force on  1 October  2002. 
 
Rudolf Schuster s. m. 
 
Jozef Migaš s. m. 
 
Mikuláš Dzurinda  s. m. 
 
__________