WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO 
IP/N/1/FIN/I/4 
16 February 2012 
 (12-0880) 
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 
 
FINLAND 
  The present document reproduces the text
1 of the Act on Inventions of Importance to the 
Defence of the Country, as notified by Finland on 10 February 2011 under Article 63.2 of the 
Agreement (see document IP/N/1/FIN/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 
 
FINLANDE 
  Le présent document contient le texte
1 de la Loi sur les inventions  importantes pour la défense 
nationale, notifiée par la Finlande le 10 février 2011 au titre de l'ar ticle 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le 
document IP/N/1/FIN/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 
 
FINLANDIA 
 
 En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 de la Ley de invenciones de importancia para 
la defensa nacional, notificada por Finlandia el 10 de febrero de 2011 en virtud del párrafo 2 del 
artículo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/FIN/3). 
                                                      
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente.   
   IP/N/1/FIN/I/4 
 Page 3 
 
 
   
    
 
    
 
  
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS 
AND REGULATIONS 
(in English) 
   
Unofficial translations 
 
 
  
PATENTS (Including plant variety protection and utility model protection 
and related legal instruments) 
 
    
    IP/N/1/FIN/I/4 
 Page 5 
 
 
  ACT ON INVENTIONS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY  
 (Unofficial translation) 
 
(551/1967; amendments up to 245/1997 included)  
 
Section 1  
 
An invention which is principally of importance to  the defence of the country and which, from the 
point of view of national defence, it is important to keep secret, may under this Act, after a patent 
application has been filed for the invention, by government decision be expropriated for public 
purpose.   A reasonable compensation shall be payable from public funds to the holder of an invention 
expropriated for public purpose unde r the first subsection. Where the amount of the compensation is 
not agreed on, the holder of the invention may bring a separate action for the compensation in the 
Helsinki District Court.   The provisions concerning patents or patent applica tions of this Act shall mutatis mutandis apply to 
utility models or utility model app lications. In such cases, section 18 of the Utility Model Act shall be 
applicable in place of the provisions of sections 21 and 22 of the Patents Act.  
 
Section 2  
 
If it is obvious that an invention is principally of importance to the defence of the country, an inventor 
residing in Finland, or his successor in title, may not apply for or authorise a nother person to apply for 
a patent for the invention abroad before an applica tion has been filed for a patent for the invention in 
Finland and before six months have passed from th e date the patent application was filed here.  
 If it is obvious that an invention is principally of importance to the defence of the country, an inventor 
residing in Finland, or his successor in title, shall file a European patent application within the 
meaning of the European Patent Convention (Finnish  Treaty Series 8/96) or an international patent 
application under chapter 3 of the Finnish Pate nts Act with the Finnish Patent Authority.  
 
Section 3  
 
A person appointed by the Ministry of Defence is aut horised to study patent applications filed at the 
National Board of Patents and Registration.  
 If it is found that an invention is principally of  importance to the defence of the country, the 
provisions of sections 21 and 22 of the Patents Act shall, at the request of the Ministry of Defence, not 
be applicable.   
If the Government has not within six months of the filing of the application made a decision to 
expropriate the invention for public purpose, the pr ocessing of the application shall be continued in 
the normal order.   For European patent applications a nd international patent applications  the time limit laid down in the 
third subsection shall nevertheless be:  
 (1) where a European patent application is con cerned, three months from the date of filing the 
application with the Patent Authority, or, where pr iority has been claimed, thirteen months from the 
date of priority claimed; and  IP/N/1/FIN/I/4 
Page 6  
 
   
(2) where an international patent application is conc erned, three months from the date of filing of the 
international application, or, where priority has b een claimed, twelve months and ten days from the 
date of priority claimed.   Section 4  
 
Matters relating to inventi ons referred to in this Act shall by al l authorities be dealt with subject to 
secrecy.   
At the request of the Ministry of Defence, applic ations for patents for inventions referred to in 
section 1 filed by the Ministry or the proper body of the defence establishment, shall, besides being kept secret, not be entered in the public record either.  
 
Section 5  
 
Patents for inventions which under this Act shall be  dealt with subject to secrecy shall be granted 
without complying with the provisions concerning th e making available to the public of an invention 
of sections 20 to 22, 24 and 25 of the Patents Ac t, where prerequisites for the grant of a patent 
otherwise exist.   
At the request of the Ministry of Defence, patents referred in the first subsection shall not be entered 
in the public register of patents.   
Section 6  
 In respect of the right of the defence establishment in its capacity as employer to the inventions made 
by persons in its service, the special provisions laid  down on the right of an employer shall apply.  
 
Section 7  
 
Anyone who has learned about an invention referred to  in this Act may not make use of it or disclose 
what he has learned.  
 
Section 8  
 
Punishment for breach of secrecy obligation provide d for in sections 2 and 7 shall be meted out 
pursuant to chapter 38, section 1 or 2 of the Penal Code, unless the act is 3 punishable under 
chapter 40, section 5, of the Penal Code or a more  severe punishment is provided elsewhere in law.  
 
Section 9  
 
Further provisions on the application and implemen tation of this Act may, where necessary, be given 
by the Government.  
 
Section 10  
 
This Act enters into force on 1 January 1968. 
 
 
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