WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  
IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
16 December 2011 
 (11-6559) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/ 
 inglés  
 
 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PR OPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
NOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
SLOVAK REPUBLIC 
 The present document reproduces the text1 of Act No. 146/2000 Coll. on Legal Protection of 
Topographies of Semiconductor Products as amende d by Act No. 84/2007 Coll., as notified by the 
Slovak Republic on 18 August 2010 under Artic le 63.2 of the Agreement (see document 
IP/N/1/SVK/4).  
 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
1 de la Loi n° 146/2000 Rec. sur la protection juridique 
des topographies de semi-conducteurs telle que modifi ée par la Loi n° 84/2007 Rec., notifiée par la 
République slovaque le 18 août 2010 au titre de l' article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document 
IP/N/1/SVK/4).  
 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 de la Ley Nº 146/2000 (recopilación) de 
Protección Jurídica de las Topografías de Productos Semiconductores modificada por la Ley N° 84/2007 (recopilación), que la República Esl ovaca ha notificado el 18 de agosto de 2010 en 
virtud de lo dispuesto en el párrafo 2 del artíc ulo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/SVK/4). 
                                                      
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente. 
   
   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  Act No. 146/2000 Coll. on Legal Protection of Topographies 
of Semiconductor Products as amended 
 
 
Amended by: Act No 84/2007 Coll.    
Part I 
 
Basic provisions 
  
Section 1 
 
Subject of Law 
 
Regulation of relations rising in relation to crea tion, protection and exploitation of topographies of 
semiconductor products is the subject of this law.   
Section 2 
 
Subject of protection 
 1.  The protection of this law applies to topography  in so far as it satisfies the conditions that it is 
result of its creator's own intellectual effort and it is not commonplace in the semiconductor industry. 
 2.  Where the topography of a semiconductor prod uct consists of elements that are commonplace 
in the semiconductor industry, it is to be protected only to the extent that the combination of such 
elements taken as a whole fulfils the co nditions stipulated in Paragraph 1. 
 3.  The protection granted to the topographies of semiconductor products in accordance with Paragraph 1 shall not extend to any concept, syst em, process, technique or encoded information 
embodied in the topography other than the topography itself. 
 
 
Section 3 
 
Specification of terms 
 1.  For the purposes of this law: 
 a)  topography shall mean a series of related im ages, however fixed or encoded, representing the 
three-dimensional pattern of the layers of which a semiconductor product is composed and 
each image has the pattern or part of the patte rn of a surface of the semiconductor product at 
any stage of its manufacture, 
 b)  semiconductor product shall mean a microelect ronic product whether in its final form or in 
the form of the intermediate product which is intended to perform, exclusively or together 
with other functions, an electronic function; c onsisting of a body of material which includes a 
layer of semiconducting material , and having one or more ot her layers of conducting, IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 4 
 
 
  insulating or semiconducting material, the la yers being arranged in accordance with a 
predetermined three-dimensional pattern. 
 
c)  commercial exploitation of a topography or semiconductor product containing topography 
shall mean the sale, rental, export, import or any other method of commercial distribution, or an offer for these purposes on the territory of th e Slovak Republic or anywhere in the world. 
 2.  For the purposes of this law commercial e xploitation shall not include exploitation under 
conditions of confidentiality to the extent th at topography or semiconductor product including 
topography was not subject of a commercial relation. 
 
 
Right to Protection 
 
Section 4 
 
Entitled persons 
 
1.  The right to protection of a topography shall a pply in favour of the topography creator, if it is 
not stated otherwise. 
 2.  The creator is the person who has created the topography using his/her own intellectual effort. 
 3.  As for the rights of the co-creators of a topography, their right to protection applies to the extent to which they contributed to the creation of  the topography. Where any doubt arises, in so far 
as the co-creators do not come to any other agreem ent or the court does not state it otherwise, the 
contribution of all co-creators of one t opography shall be considered as equal. 
 4.  Where the creator has created a topography in the course of his/her employment or under any other obligation resulting from any other contractual re lationship, the right to protection shall apply in 
favour of the creator's employer or in favour of a party entitled from any other contractual 
relationship, unless the parties to the co ntract came to any other agreement. 
 5.  Where no right to protection applies in favour of  the persons pursuant to Paragraphs 1, 3 or 4, 
the right to protection shall apply in favour of the person who on the basis of the exclusive 
authorisation granted by the person pursuant to Paragr aphs 1, 3, or 4 first commercially exploited on 
the territory of the Slovak Republic a topography  which has not yet been exploited commercially 
anywhere in the world.  6.  The right to protection shall apply in favour of the successors in title of the persons pursuant 
to Paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 5.   
Section 5 
 
1.  The right to protection shall apply in fa vour of entitled natural pe rsons or legal persons 
pursuant to Section 4: 
 a)  who are nationals of the Slovak Republic or who are nationals of the member state of WTO, 
or  
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Consolidated version 
  b)  who have their habitual residence, seat, establishment or organisational component1 on the 
territory of the Slovak Republic or who have their habitual residence, seat, establishment or 
organisational component on the territory of the member state of WTO. 
 
2.  The right to protection in favour of persons pursuant to Section 4 who do not comply with the 
conditions pursuant to pa ragraph 1, shall apply only if the c ondition of reciprocity is satisfied. 
 
 
Section 6 
 
The right to protection of a topography shall come to  an end 15 years from the date of its fixation or 
encoding, provided that the topography in questio n has not been commercially exploited or if an 
application for registration pursuant to Section 22 Pa ragraph 3 has not been filed with the Industrial 
Property Office of the Slovak Republic (her einafter referred to as "the Office"). 
  
Section 7 
 
The Emergence and Duration of Protection 
 
1.  Protection of a topography comes into existence on the following dates:   a)  on the date when the topography is first comme rcially exploited, provided that an application 
pursuant to Section 22 Paragraph 3 has not been filed with the Office within the period of two 
years since the date of this exploitation, or 
 
b)  on the date when application pursuant to the provision in Section 22 Paragraph 3 has been 
filed, provided that the topography has not been commercially exploited before 
 2.  The duration of the topography protection shall come to an end 10 years from the end of the 
calendar year in which the said protection came into existence. 
 
 
Part II 
 
Rights and obligations of topography owner 
 
Section 8 
 
Topography owner 
 Legal person or natural person recorded with the re gister of the topographies (hereinafter referred to 
as "the Register") shall be deemed to be an owner of the topography. 
 
 
                                                      
1 Sec. 21 paragraph 3 of the Act No. 513/1991 Coll. as amended, the Commercial Code. IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 6 
 
 
  Section 9 
 
Co-ownership of the topography 
 
1.  As far as relations of co-owners of a topography are concerned, provisions of special law shall apply.
2 
 2.  Agreement on dissolution of the co-ownership and mutual settlement has to be concluded in 
written form, otherwise it is not valid. 
 3.  Agreement pursuant to Paragraph 2 shall beco me effective as regards third parties from the 
date when it is recorded in the register. 
 
 
Protection Effects 
 
Section 10 
 
1.  If it is not stated otherwise, topography owne r shall have the exclusive right to exploit the 
topography, to reproduce the topography, to transfer  the right concerning the topography to a third 
person, to authorise or prohibit the following acts  a)  reproduction of a topography,  b)  production of the semiconductor product, in which the protected topography is included, 
 
c)  commercial exploitation or the importati on for that purpose of a topography or of a 
semiconductor product in which the protected topography is included. 
 2.  The exclusive rights stipulated in Paragraph 1 apply also 
 
a)  for the period from coming into existence of the protection pursuant to Section 7 Paragraph 1 
to entry of the topography in the Register, 
 b)  for the period prior to coming into existence of the protection pursuant to Section 7 
Paragraph 1 given that the owner proves that a third person has infringed an exclusive right 
pursuant to Paragraph 1 while the topography has not been created independently of the creator or other entitled person pursuant to Section 4. 
 3.  The topography owner is able to enforce hi s/her exclusive right only after the said topography 
has been entered in the register.   
Section 11 
 
1.  The effects of the protection of a topography do not apply to the following: 
 
a)  acts done privately for non-commercial aims,  
                                                      
2 Sec. 137 to 142 of the Civil Code   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  b)  reproduction of the topography for the purpose of analyzing, evaluating or teaching the 
concepts, processes, systems or techniques embodi ed in the topography or the topography 
itself 
 
c)  acts done in relation to other topography mee ting the requirements of Section 2 Paragraph 2, 
created on the basis of an analysis and evaluation of topography pursuant to Letter b) 
 d)  further commercial exploitation or importati on of a topography or of a semiconductor product 
containing a topography, after the topography or the semiconductor product in question has 
been put on the market by the topography  owner or with his/her express consent. 
 2.  The effects of the protection of a topography do not apply to the person, who, in good faith, acquires a semiconductor product containing a topogra phy, which product has been put on the market 
without the consent of the topography owner. From  the moment this person knows or has reasonable 
grounds to believe that he/she infringes an exclus ive right pursuant to Section 10 paragraph 1 by 
his/her acts, he/she is further entitled to comme rcially exploit the product, whether acquired or 
ordered prior to this notification, being at the sa me time obliged to pay the owner, upon the owner's 
own request, due compensation for further expl oitation of the product which corresponds to a 
reasonable licence fee.
3 
  
Section 12 
 
Transfer of Right to a Topography 
by Means of Written Contract or by Operation of Law 
 
1.  Rights to a topography are transferred to a new owner by operation of law in cases stipulated 
by special regulations.
4 
 2.  Rights to a topography are to be transferred exclusively by means of a written contract, 
otherwise the transfer is not valid. 
 3.  Transfer of the rights to a topography by m eans of a written contract and by operation of law 
is effective as regards third parties from the date wh en it is recorded in the register of topographies. 
 
4.  Rights of the third parties acquired prior to the date of the transfer of the rights to topography 
are to be maintained. This, however does not appl y in case of transfer of the right concerning a 
topography by operation of law on the basis of rec tification pursuant to Section 25, Paragraph 1. 
 
 
Section 13 
 
The Right of Lien 
 
1.  The emergence, change and cessation of the right of lien, as well as the relations between the lien creditor and the lien debtor, are to be regulated by the general provisions relating to the right of 
lien.
5 
 
                                                      
3 Section 508 paragraph 1 of the Commercial Code.  
4 e.g. Sections 69 and 259 of the Commercial Code, Section 460 to 462 of the Civil Code.  
5 § 151a) - §151g) of the Civil Code.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 8 
 
 
  2.  Contractual lien is to be established by means of a written contract. 
 3.  The emergence of the right of lien is effectiv e as regards third parties from the date when it is 
recorded in the register of topographies. 
 4.  As for the right of sublien, the relevant pr ovisions of Paragraphs 1-3, as well as the general 
provisions relating to the right of sublien, are to be used.
6 
 
 
Section 14 
 
Licence 
 
1.  The emergence, cessation and enforcement of a licence contract is to be regulated by the 
provisions of special law.7 
 2.  The licence contract is effective as regards th ird parties from the date when it is recorded in 
the register of topographies.  
3.  Where the licence contract does not state otherw ise, the owner of a topography can exploit an 
object of the licence by himself and enter into othe r licence relations with third parties without any 
limitations (hereinafter referred to only as "non-exclusive licence").  4.  In case of infringement or jeopardising of right s protected by this Act, a licence holder shall 
have same rights as the owner of a topography 
 
 
Section 15 
 
Compulsory Licence 
 
1.  The court may grant a compulsory licence b ased on the request of any person, who provides 
evidence of capability to reproduce the topography in question and to produce the semiconductor 
product containing the protected topography, on the te rritory of the Slovak Republic, provided that: 
 
a)  3 years have elapsed since the date of the registration of a topography, 
 b)  the person who requests a compulsory licence has presented a proper proposal for a 
contractual licence prior to the filing of the re quest for a compulsory licence, which  proposal 
has not been accepted by the owner of the topography, 
 
c)  the topography has not been exploited on the territory of the Slovak Republic by the owner 
without reasonable grounds or it has been explo ited insufficiently and the products containing 
the protected topography are not present on the Slovak Republic market - or they are present there, but in an insufficient quantity. Th e absence of any reasonable grounds for non-
exploitation is presumed until reas onable ground has been proved. 
 
                                                      
6 §151k) - § 151m) of the Civil Code.  
7 Sections 508-515 of the Commercial Code.   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  2.  A compulsory licence can be granted exclusively 
 a)  for non-commercial exploitation or to remedy practice of the topography owner that can be 
deemed to be anti-competitive on the b asis of the relevant authority decision
8 or in case of 
serious public nuisance, 
 b)  as non-exclusive licence which duration and extent  shall be limited to the purpose for which it 
was granted with the condition of pred ominant supply of the domestic market. 
 
3.  A compulsory licence can be granted in  case of serious public nuisance notwithstanding 
Paragraph 1a).  4.  If a substantial change of circumstances o ccurs in relation to those circumstances which 
previously led to a compulsory licence being granted, the Court may, upon request of one of the 
parties to the contractual licence change any of the conditions, extent and duration of compulsory 
licence or revoke the previous decision whereby a co mpulsory licence was granted, provided that it is 
satisfied that it is improbable that there will be any recurrence of the circumstances which gave rise to 
the grant of the compulsory licence.  
5.  The valid and executable decision on compulsory licence granting or revoking shall be 
immediately delivered by the court to the Office, a nd the Office shall record these facts in the register. 
 6.  A compulsory licence can be transferred, whether by means of written contract or by 
operation of law, only as a part of enterprise transfer or  as a part of transfer of that part of enterprise 
which uses topography on the basi s of the compulsory licence. 
 
7.  As far as transfer pursuant to the paragraph 6 is concerned, provisions  of Section 12 para.1-3 
apply mutatis mutandis. 
 
 
Section 16 
 
1.  When a compulsory licence is granted, the right of the topogr aphy owner to receive adequate 
compensation is left intact.
3) 
 
2.  Where the parties to a compulsory licence, which has come into be ing on the basis of a 
decision that a compulsory licence should be gr anted, have not reached any agreement on 
compensation, notwithstanding negotiations relating thereto, the amount and the way of adequate 
compensation shall be determined by the court, upon request of one of the parties to the compulsory 
licence. If a substantial change of circumstances oc curs, which is likely to involve changes to the 
compensation which should be awarded, the court ma y, upon request of one of the parties to the 
compulsory licence, amend the compensation from that previously agreed or determined by the court, 
given that the parties to compulsory licence have not reached any agreement, notwithstanding 
negotiations relating thereto. 
 
 
                                                      
8 Act No. 188/1994 Coll., as amended, on protection of economic competition.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 10 
 
 
  Section 17 
 
Repudiation of a Right to Topography 
 
1.  The owner of a topography may repudiate his/her right to the topography by means of a written notification delivered to the Office.  2.  The repudiation of a right to a topography co mes into effect on the date when the notification 
pursuant to Section 1 is delivered to the Office. 
 3.  Such a repudiation of a right to a topography which also affects the rights of third parties that are registered in the register of topographies shall come into effect only after a written consent of the 
person whose rights and legitimate interests may be affected by the topography cessation is presented. 
The same applies in case a law-suit is recorded in the register of topographies, the subject of which 
law suit is the right to the topography. 
 
 
Section 18 
 
Cessation of Protection of a Topography 
 
Protection of a topography comes to an end on the following dates:  a)  on the date when protection of a topography pursuant to Sec. 7 Paragraph 2 expires,  
b)  on the date when the repudiation of the right to topography pursuant to Section 17 comes into 
effect. 
 
 
Section 19 
 
Infringement of Rights and Disputes Hearing 
 
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  rights pursuant to paragraph 1, the aggrieved 
party has right to compensation of actual damage including profit lost. If a nonpecuniary 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
8a. 
 
Section 19a 
 
Right of Information 
 1.  The owner of topography may requests in infringement or jeopardising of his rights protected 
by this Act that a person infringing or jeopardis ing his rights provided him information related to 
origin of a topography or a semiconductor product containing a topography which infringes the rights pursuant to this Act and to circumstances of its placing on the market.  _______________ 
 
8a  Civil Code.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
   
2.  Information pursuant to paragraph 1 shall contain in particular:  
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 t opography or a semiconductor product containing a 
topography; 
 
b) indications on produced, processed, provided or ordered quantity a nd price of relevant 
topography or a semiconductor product containing a topography. 
 3.  To provide information pursuant to para graphs 1 and 2 is obliged also a person who 
 a)  has in possession a topography or a semiconductor product containing a topography 
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 sub-pa ragraphs a) to c) as a person participating in 
production, processing or distribution of the topography or the semiconductor product containing the topography or providing services infringing rights pursuant to this Act. 
 
 
Section 20 
 
1.  Law-suits related to rights stipulated in th is law shall be heard and decided by courts unless 
the law establishes the authority of  the Office to proceed and decide on the merits of the matters. 
 
2.  At the request of a topography owner the c ourt shall prohibit any action which is contrary to 
Section 10 Paragraph 1, or the court shall order that  the reproductions of a protected topography or the 
semiconductor products containing the protected to pography, or any products containing such a 
semiconductor product be: 
 
a)  withdrawn from a trade network;  b)  definitely removed from a trade network;  c)  secured in other way by preventing furt her infringement or je opardising of right; 
 
d)  destroyed in a suitable way.  3.  Provisions pursuant to paragraph 2 shall be  executed at expense of a person infringing or 
jeopardising rights protected by this Act, unless sp ecial circumstances give reason for other process 
 
4.  As far as the provision of Paragraph 2, Lette r d) concerning a manner of destroying of objects 
is regarded, the proposal is not binding upon the court.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 12 
 
 
  5.  The court shall not confer right to inform ation pursuant to Article 19a, if seriousness of 
jeopardising or infringement of right were inade quate to seriousness of consequences resulting from 
fulfilment of obligation imposed in such way.    
Part III 
 
Proceedings Related to Topographies 
 
Section 21 
 
Requirements of Application for Registration of a Topography 
 1)  The application can concern only one topography. 
 2)  The application has to contain:  a)  a request for recording the topography in the register of topographies, containing the 
designation of the topography in question, name , surname and domicile and nationality of the 
applicant or, where the applicant is a legal person, the applicant's business name and seat, 
 b)  documents that allow the identification of the topography in question, or, if appropriate, also 
the semiconductor product containing the topography  as such (hereinafter referred to only as 
"the documents"), 
 
c)  the date of the first commercial exploitati on of the topography, provided that this date is 
earlier than the date of filing of the application, 
 d)  documentary evidence relating to the acqui sition of the right to the protection of the 
topography as well as the name, surname and domicile  of the applicant if the applicant is not 
the creator of the topography 
 e)  the name, surname and domicile, or the business name and seat of the applicant's attorney, as 
well as the power of attorney provided that the a pplicant is represented by an attorney or if 
he/she has to be represented pursuant to th e provision of Section 35, Paragraph 2. 
 f)  the signature of the applicant or of the person entitled to act on the applicant's behalf. 
 3)  The applicant may designate some of the documents pursuant to Paragraph 2 Letter b) as trade secret documents
9. In such circumstances, the designated documents have to be submitted in two 
forms, one completed fully and one with the relevant parts, the trade secret parts specified as such, 
obscured or illegible. The documents cannot all be specified as trade secret. 
 
 
Section 22 
 
Registration of a Topography 
 
1.  The proceedings relating to the registration of a topography in the register are started by the 
filing of an application to the Office. 
                                                      
9 Section 51 of the Commercial Code.   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  2.  The application may be filed by any person ha ving the right to the protection of a topography, 
pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of this La w, or by legal successor of that person. 
 
3.  A petition shall be deemed as the application if it contains a request for recording the 
topography in the register of topographies with data  enabling the applicant to be identified and if it 
complies with requirements pursuant to Section 21, Paragraph 2, Letters b), c). From the date of 
delivery of the proper application, the applicant acq uires the right of priority against any person who 
later files an application relating to an identical topography. 
 
4.  Provided that the application complies with all requirements stipulated in Section 21, the Office shall record the topography in the register . The Office shall then issue a certificate of 
registration to the applicant whose topography has been  recorded in the register . The Office shall also 
publish the topography registration in the Bulletin of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak 
Republic (hereinafter referred to only as "the Bulletin"). 
 
5.  Where the application filed does not comply w ith the requirements stipulated in the provision 
of Section 21, the Office shall call upon the applican t for elimination of all these defects within a set 
period. In the event that the applicant does not el iminate these defects in the set period, the Office 
shall suspend the proceedings. The applicant must be  notified of this possible consequence in the said 
call. 
 6.  Where the application filed does not fulfil the requirements stipulated in the provision of 
Paragraph 3, the date upon which a filing eliminating defects is delivered to the Office is to be the 
date upon which the application is deemed to have been filed. 
 
7.  Where the application has been filed and conflic ts with the provisions of Paragraph 2 of this 
Section or after the time limit pursuant Section 7 Pa ragraph 1 Letter a) had expired, the Office shall 
refuse the application. However, before the Office  decides so, it has to en able the applicant to 
comment the ground for refusal. 
 
 
Section 23 
 
Invalidation of registration 
 1.  The Office shall declare the registration of topography invalid if, in the proceedings initiated 
upon request of a third party it is found that:  a)  the recorded topography is not capable of protection pursuant to the provision of Section 2 
Paragraphs 1 and 2, 
 
b)  the application for the registration of a topogr aphy in question was delivered after the period 
of 2 years stipulated in Section 7, Paragraph 1, Letter a) had expired, 
 c)  the right to protection of a topography had already come to its end pursuant to the provision 
of Section 6, 
 
d)  the applicant was a person who could not  be considered the person entitled pursuant to 
Section 4 or Section 5, unless after the filing of  the application a transfer pursuant to Section 
12 to or rectification pursuant to Section 25, Pa ragraph 1 in favour of an entitled person has 
been occurred, 
 IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 14 
 
 
  e)  the documents pursuant to the provision of Section 21, Paragraph 2, Letter b) do not enable 
identification of a topography or do not correspond to the semiconductor product enclosed in the application. 
 
2.  Where the request for invalidation of registra tion of a topography (hereinafter referred to only 
as "request for invalidation") concerns only part of  the registered topography, the Office shall declare 
the registration of the topography invalid only insofar as it relates to the part of the registered topography to which the request relates, provided th at the remaining part or parts are capable of 
protection pursuant to Section 2, Paragraphs 1, 2.  
 3.  Invalidation of registration shall mean the re levant topography shall be  deemed never to have 
been registered.  
Section 24 
 
1.  The request for invalidation of registration is to be in writing and is to be delivered to the 
Office in duplicate, each of which is to include:  a)  first name, surname and domicile of the pers on who requests invalidation of registration, and, 
where it is a legal person, its business name and seat, 
 b)  if the person who requests invalidation of regist ration is represented by an attorney, or if the 
person must be represented pursuant to Section 35 Paragraph 2, the first name, surname and 
domicile or the business name and seat of the atto rney, together with the power of attorney, 
 
c)  a written request from the person who requests invalidation of registration, expressly stating 
that he/she requests that the registration be invalidated, 
 d)  information identifying the owner of the topography in question  
e)  the topography registration number or application number in the register 
 f)  the reason or reasons relied upon in the request for invalidation of the registration in question 
as well as description of the evidence in suppor t of the request upon which the person who 
requests declaration of invalidity of registration relies 
 
g)  documentary evidence designated in the request according to Letter f) 
 h)  the signature of the person who requests i nvalidation of registration or of the person 
authorised to act on his/her behalf. 
 
2.  Where the request does not contain the necessary elements stipulated in Paragraph 1, the 
Office shall call upon the person who requests invalidati on to eliminate the defects within a set period. 
In the event that the person who requests for invali dation does not comply with this call in the set 
period, and if the proceedings cannot be continue d for this reason, the Office shall suspend the 
proceedings on the request for invalidation of re gistration. The person who requests invalidation, 
however, has to be notified of this possible con sequence of potential non-compliance in the said call 
of the Office.  3.  Where the proceedings were not suspended pur suant to Paragraph 2, the Office shall deliver 
the request to the owner of the topography, ca lling upon him/her at the same time for a written 
statement in answer to this request within a set period. The written statement in answer shall be 
submitted in writing, in duplicate, while the owne r may also describe the evidence in support of the  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  written statement in answer upon which he/she reli es and at the same time accompany this written 
statement by the documentary evidence.  
4.  If the owner of the topography in questi on does not provide his/her written statement in 
answer within the period stipulated by the Office,  the request for invalidation is deemed to be 
reasonably filed and the Office shall declare the re gistration of the topography invalid. The owner has 
to be specifically warned of this  possible consequence in the call. 
 
5.  The Office shall proceed pursuant to the provisi on of Paragraph 4 also in the event that the 
owner is not represented by an authorised attorn ey, pursuant to the provision of Section 35, 
Paragraph 2. Where the topography owner does not comply with the call for submitting the power of 
attorney within the set period, it shall be consider ed that he/she has not responded to the request for 
invalidation.  
6.  Where the owner provides his/her written statement in answer within the set period, the 
Office shall send the said written statement to the pe rson who requests invalidation.  Where the Office 
cannot reach a decision upon the written representations in the statements of the parties submitted in 
the proceedings, the Office shall set a date for a hearing.  
7.  The Office is able to proceed further and to  decide on the merits of the matter even in the 
event that the party duly notified of the date of th e hearing does not appear at, or take part in, the 
hearing.  8.  No further amendment or supplement of request for invalidation of registration or of a written statement in answer may be made by either pers on who requests invalidation or by the owner. The 
Office shall not take into account any such amendmen t or supplement, as for their relevance to the 
proceedings and to the decision on the merits of the matter.  
Section 25 
 
Forfeiture of the Protection and Rectification 
 
1.  Where the Office receives a request to forfe it the protection of a topography owner recorded 
in the register, it shall forfeit this protection and record the person who requests the forfeiture as the 
topography owner, provided that the following conditions are complied with: 
 
a)  it was declared by a valid court decision th at the person formerly registered as the owner of 
the topography in question was not entitled to the right to protection of the topography protection, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 4 or 5, 
 b)  the request for forfeiture of the right has been  filed by the person, who is, pursuant to a valid 
court decision, entitled to the right to protection of a topography, or it has been filed by the 
legal successor of this person, 
 c)  the request was filed at the Office not later than 3 months from the date when the relevant 
decision of the Court referred to in Letter a) above came into force. 
 
2.  Provided that the condition stipulated in Paragr aph 1, Letter a) is complied with, if the request 
has not been filed at all or has not been filed by th e person who is entitled to file such a request or has 
not been filed within a set period, the Office will declare the registration of the topography invalid ex officio.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 16 
 
 
  3.  As far as the forfeiture of right concerning the topography application and its rectification in 
favour of the entitled person is concerned, the provi sions of Paragraph 1 will be used appropriately. 
Unless rectification of right concerning topography  application is proceeded, the Office shall refuse 
the application pursuant to section 22 Paragraph 7. 
 
Section 26 
 
Registration of Licence, of the Right of Lien, 
of the Transfer of Topography Ownership, and of Law-Suit. 
 
1.  A request for the registration of a licence, of  the right of a lien, of the transfer of the 
topography ownership (all hereinafter referred to only as "the registration of the right") has to include 
the following :  
a)  information described by Section 24, Paragraph 1, Letters a), b), d), e), h), 
 b)  a statement by the person who requests the regist ration of the right, identifying the nature of 
the registration requested, 
 
c)  a brief summary of statement in support of th e request for the registration of the right, as well 
as the documents that evidence the right acquisition or their photocopies. Those parts of the documents or photocopies that the person who requests the registration of the right wishes to be kept confidential, may be obscured or illegi ble provided that the legible part evidences the 
acquisition of the right sufficiently. 
 
2.  Where the request for the registration of th e right does not contain the necessary elements, the 
provisions of Section 24, Paragraph 2 shall apply mutatis mutandis . 
 3.  In case of any doubt, the Office may require  the applicant to submit the original of the 
document that evidences the acquisition of the right, or it may also require that other, supplemental 
information, be submitted. 
 4.  The provisions of Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 do not apply to any compulsory licence. The Office 
shall register compulsory licences ex officio, after the valid decision of the court on granting a 
compulsory licence is delivered to the Office. 
 
5.  The Office, upon request made by a party to a law-suit relating to the right to a topography, if the request includes a certified copy of the petition to the court, shall record in the register the fact, 
that there is a law-suit relating to the right to the topography in pending. The record shall be made with effect from the date of delivery of the request to the Office. 
 
 
Section 27 
 
Further Processing 
 1.  In the event that a party to the proceedings fa ils to comply with a time limit set by the Office 
to perform an act and it resulted in suspension of the proceedings or the loss of the other right, the 
relevant party has a right to request for further processing as well as simultaneously complete the 
omitted act within 2 months of the date of de livery of the decision of the Office issued as a 
consequence of the failure to comply with a time li mit. The relevant request as well as simultaneous 
completion of the omitted act shall only be admissibl e within 6 months of the expiration of the failed 
time limit.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
 Page 17  
 
 
Consolidated version 
   
2.  The Office shall refuse any request for fu rther processing which does not satisfy conditions 
set out in Paragraph 1 of this Section. 
 
3.  In the event that the Offi ce grants request for further processing, legal consequences of the 
decision issued as a consequence of the failure to co mply with a time limit shall not ensue or shall 
cease. In the event that the Office does not issue a decision on refusal of the request within 2 months 
of the delivery of the relevant request to the Office, it is considered that the request was granted by the 
Office. 
 4.  Rights acquired by third parties in good faith within a period running from the validity of the decision issued as a consequence of the failure to comply with a time limit to cessation of legal consequences of this decision pursuant to Pa ragraph 3 of this Section are left intact. 
 
 
Section 28 
 
Restitutio in integrum 
 1.  In the event, that a party to  the proceedings fails to comply with a time limit set by the law or 
by the Office to perform an act without his/he r own fault or negligence and it resulted to the 
suspension of the proceedings or the loss of the other right, the relevant party has a right to request for 
restitutio in integrum as well as simultaneously comple te the omitted act within 2 months of the date 
on which the cause of his failure to comply ceased  to exist. The relevant request as well as 
simultaneous completion of the omitted act shall only be admissible within 12 months of the 
expiration of the failed time limit. 
 2.  In the request pursuant the relevant party to  the proceedings is obliged to provide a written 
statement of the grounds upon which the request is based and reasons for the failure to comply with 
the requirements and to submit evidence in support of the material facts in the statement. As for the 
allegations and the evidence submitted in support of th e material facts in the statement submitted after 
any of the time limits pursuant to the Paragraph 1 of  this Section expire, the Office shall not consider 
them to be relevant in the decision on the merits.  3.  Granting a restitutio in integrum is excluded: 
 
a)  in the event of failure to comply with the ti me limits pursuant to Para graphs 1 and 2 of this 
Section and Section 25 Paragraph 1 Letter c), or 
 b)  in the event of failure to comply with  the time limit of 2 years pursuant to Section 7 
Paragraph 1 Letter a) and with the time limit of 15 years pursuant to Section 6. 
 
4.  The Office shall refuse any request for resitu tio in integrum which does not satisfy conditions 
pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Section or in the event that exclusion pursuant to Paragraph 3 
of this Section applies.  
5.  In the event that the Office  grants request for restitutio in integrum, legal consequences of the 
decision issued as a consequence of the failure to co mply with a time limit shall not ensue or shall 
cease.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 18 
 
 
  6.  Rights acquired by third parties in good faith within a period running from the validity of the 
decision issued as a consequence of the failure to comply with a time limit to cessation of legal consequences of this decision pursuant to Pa ragraph 5 of this Section are left intact. 
 
Section 29 
 
Grounds for the Decision 
 1.  Parties to the proceedings shall be oblig ed to propose the evidence in support of their 
statements.  2.  The Office shall develop the evidence and we igh the evidence within its discretion, each of 
them separately and all of them in their mutual relationship.  
3.  The Office shall decide on the basis of the facts of the case ascertained from the developed 
evidence that was proposed by the parties. 
 
 
Section 30 
 
Fees Incurred in the Course of Proceedings 
 
1.  Fees incurred in the course of proceedings ar e particularly expenses of the parties to the 
proceedings and their representatives including admini strative fee, future earnings of the parties, 
charges of the evidence and the remuneration for the representation for the patent attorney
10, attorneys 
at law11 or commercial lawyers12. 
 2.  Witnesses have the right for compensation of the expenses and future earnings. This right 
shall cease if it is not claimed within 3 days from the examination of witnesses.  
3.  If there was and expertise presented, the expert  has the right for the compensation of expenses 
and remuneration pursuant to the provisions of special law
13. 
 4.  A person, who was ordered by the Office par ticularly to submit a document or to enable an 
inspection of the thing, has the same  right as a witness, if he/she is not the party to the proceedings. 
 
5.  The Office is able to order one party to th e proceedings to pay an advance for the expenses 
related to the evidence, whose de velopment this party has requested. Imposing of such obligation 
shall not create a substantial obstacle of the efficient exercise of right.  6.  Where the party ordered to pay charges in advance does not comply with this order to pay the 
advance within the set period, the Office shall pr oceed with the proceedings, as though no request for 
evidence development has been filed.  
                                                      
10 Decree of the Federal Office for inventions No. 350/1991 Coll. on remuneration of patent attorneys. 
11 Decree of Ministry of Justice of the Slovak republic No. 240/1990 Coll. on remuneration of 
attorneys at law for providing of legal advice as amended.  
12 Decree of Ministry of justice of the Slovak Republic No. 180/1991 Coll. on remuneration of 
commercial lawyers for providing of legal advice.  
13 Act No. 36/1967 on experts and translators.   
Decree of Ministry of justice of th e Slovak Republic No. 263/1996 Coll. 
  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  7.  If, during the course of the proceedings, it b ecomes clear that any expenses will be incurred to 
the Office and these are not covered by any advan ce paid pursuant to Paragraph 5, the Office may 
order that these charges be paid by the part y found to be unsuccessful in the proceedings. 
 
8.  The Office shall order that the successful part y to the proceedings be paid compensation for 
the expenses properly incurred in efficient exercisi ng its rights against the unsuccessful party. The 
successful party has to claim payment of compensa tion for expenses until the day, when the decision 
on the merits is issued.   
Section 31 
 
Remedies 
 1.  An appeal may be lodged against the decision of the Office within the time limit of 30 days 
from the delivery of the decision:  2.  No appeal is permitted against the decision  
a)  on granting a request for further processing or restitutio in integrum 
 b)  on suspension of the proceedings  pursuant to Section 35 Paragraph 6. 
 
 
Section 32 
 
Access to Data, Trade Secrets 
 
1.  Before the topography is registered in the register the Office is entitled to disclose to third 
parties who prove a legal interest exclusively an  information of creator of the topography, the 
applicant of the topography, the designation of the to pography and the file reference of an application. 
 2.  After the process of recording the topography in the register is completed, the Office shall 
grant access to the data stated in the application pursuant to the provision of Section 21, Paragraph 2 
to third parties for inspection and shall permit insp ection of a file to third parties who prove a legal 
interest except for documents designated to be the trade secret documents pursuant to Section 21 
Paragraph 3.  3.  The Office is obliged to proceed, both in th e application proceedings and after the topography 
is registered in the register, in such a manner, th at the documents designated as trade secret documents 
are not made accessible to unauthorised persons. 
 
4.  As for the documents designated as trade secret documents, the Office may  a)  submit them to the Court on the basis of a request in the event of law-suits pursuant to 
section 20 Paragraph 1, 
 
b)  grant access to them to an expert designated by the Office in the course of invalidation 
proceedings and determination proceedings afte r he/she has been instructed of his/her IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 20 
 
 
  obligations in relation to the trade secret9 and penal consequences of infringement of the trade 
secret14. 
 
5.  On the basis of the request by a creator of a topography who is identified in an application for 
a registration of a topography pursuant to Section 21 paragraph 2 Letter d) the Office shall not disclose his/her name in the publication of registration of a topography in the register pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Sec tion and Section 22 Paragraph 4. 
 
 
Section 33 
 
Register of Topographies 
 
The Office shall keep a register of topographies, in  which it shall record information relating to the 
applications for registration of topographies, as well as relating to the registered topographies, 
particularly  a)  the reference number of the topography  
b)  the date of the record of the topography 
 c)  the date when the topography re gistration was published in the Bulletin, 
 d)  the designation of the topography  
e)  the date when the application for registration of the topography was filed 
 f)  file reference of the application for registration of the topography  g)  the date of the first public commercial expl oitation, provided that this date was earlier  
than the date when the application was filed,  
 h)  the name, surname and domicile or business name  and seat of the applicant or the topography 
owner 
 
i)  the name, surname and domicile of the topography creator 
 j)  the name, surname and domicile or business name and seat of the attorney of applicant or 
topography owner, if the relevant power of attorn ey continues to be valid after the registration 
 k)  transfer of the right, the commencement date  of a licence, of a compulsory licence and of a 
right of lien and the date a licence, a compulsory  licence and a right of lien came to an end, 
the date of commencement of any law-suit relati ng to the right to the topography and the date 
when any such law-suit came to an end, 
 l)  the declaration of invalidity of the registration of the topography, 
 
m)  the forfeiture of protection and r ectification pursuant to Section 25, 
 n)  cessation of the protection of the topography. 
 
                                                      
14 §122 of the Penal Code.   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
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Consolidated version 
  Section 34 
 
Official Journal of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic 
 
The Office publishes in its Official Journal of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic 
facts that are related to registered topographies, as well as other data that are related to the protection 
of topographies.  
 
 
Part IV 
 
Common, Temporary and Annulling Provisions 
 
Section 35 
 
Common provisions 
 
1.  Provisions of international treaties, c onventions and agreements, by which the Slovak 
Republic is bound, shall not be affected by this law. 
 2.  Parties to the proceedings shall be subject to  the same rights and oblig ations; parties who have 
neither their domicile nor seat in the Slovak Republic  when taking part in proceedings at the Office 
have to be represented by an authorised attorney
15. 
 
3.  The proceedings relating to topographi es are subject to the general provisions for 
administrative proceedings16, with the exception of the provisions of Section 19 Paragraph 1, 
Sections 23, 28 to 32, 39, 49, 50 and 60.  4.  As far as the registration of topographies that  are to be kept confidential pursuant to special 
laws
17 is concerned, provisions of this Law shall apply with the exception of disclosure of data 
pursuant to section 32 Paragraph 1 and 2 and publica tion of the registration pursuant to Section 22 
Paragraph 4, if the applicant designates th e application pursuant to the special law17) and proves the 
confidentiality of the subject of application pursuant to special law17). 
 
5.  If a party to the proceedings does not comp ly with requirements when called upon by the 
Office within a set period, the Office may suspen d the proceedings. However, the party to the 
proceedings must be notified of this possible consequence by the Office in the said call. 
 6.  If it is not stated otherwise, the Office may suspend the proceedings also at the request of the 
party to the proceedings, whose application, requ est or petition is subject of the proceedings. The 
request for suspension of the proceedings cannot be withdrawn. 
 7.  In case of request for suspension of the pr oceedings on registration of topography, to which 
law suit on right to a protection of topography recorded in the register concerns, the Office may 
                                                      
15  Section 40, Act 237/1991 Coll., on Patent Attorneys, as amended by the Act of the Slovak National 
Council 90/1993 Coll.  
16 Act 71/1967 Coll. on Administrative Proceedings.  
17 Sections 2 and 3 of the Act No. 100/1996 Coll. on  protection of state secret, service secret and 
encryption service.  IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 22 
 
 
  suspend the proceedings only after presentation of written consent of the person who files the request 
for registration of the law suit to the register.  
8.  As far as the determination proceedings are concerned, provisions of the special law shall 
apply mutatis mutandis.
18 
 9.  Each application that is to be filed at th e Office has to be presented in writing and in the 
language of the Slovak Republic. 
 
10.  Petition performed by electronic means which includes written request in the matter is to be 
amended by presenting of written original within 14 days; petition which was not  amended within this 
time limit shall not be considered to be relevant.  11.  The Office collects administrative fees for individual acts pursuant to this law.
19 
  
Section 36 
 
Temporary Provisions 
 
1.  Those proceedings on topographies that were not brought to a conclusion prior to the date when this law came into effect, shall be brought to  a conclusion pursuant to the regulations in force 
prior to this law coming into effect.  2.  Legal relations resulting from topographies that had been recorded in the register before the 
date when this law came into effect shall be re gulated by the provisions of this law. Emergence, 
changes or cessation of legal relations, as well as all titl es that had emerged before the date when this 
law came into effect, shall, notwithstanding, be  judged pursuant to the so-far valid regulations. 
 
Section 36a 
 
Legal acts of European Communities and of the European Union stated in Annex shall be 
implemented by this Act. 
 
 
Section 37 
 
Annulling Clause 
 
The Act 529/1991 Coll. On the Protection of Top ographies of Semiconductor Products as amended by 
the Act of the Slovak National C ouncil No. 90/1993 Coll. On Measures Valid for Industrial Property 
and the Act of the Slovak National Council No. 185/1994 Coll. shall be annulled. 
 
 
                                                      
18 Section 67 of Act 527/1990 Coll., on Inventions, Industrial Designs and Rationalisation Proposals.  
19 Act 145/1995 Coll. on Admini strative Fees as amended   IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
 Page 23  
 
 
Consolidated version 
  Section 38 
 
Effect 
 
This Act enter into force on June 1st, 2000 
 Act No. 84/2007 Coll. enter into force on March 1
st, 2007 
 IP/N/1/SVK/L/3 
Page 24 
 
 
  Annex 
 
List of implemented Legal acts of European Communities and of the European Union 
 
1.  Council Directive 87/54/EEC of 16 December 1986 on the legal protection of topographies of 
semiconductor products, Official Journal L 024, 27/01/1987 
 2.  Directive 2004/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the 
enforcement of intellectual property right, Official Journal of the European Union L 157 of 
30 April 2004 
 
 
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