WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
2 April 2008 
 (08-1463) 
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 
 
SLOVENIA 
  The present document reproduces the text
1 of the Act on the Protection of Topographies of 
Integrated Circuits (ZVTPPV-UPB2) - official consolidated version - entry into force 10 June 2006 , as 
notified by Slovenia under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document IP/N/1/SVN/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 
 
SLOVÉNIE 
 
 Le présent document contient le texte1 de la Loi sur la protection des topographies de circuits 
intégrés ( ZVTPPV-UPB2) – version consolidée officielle – entrée en vigueur le 10 juin 2006 , notifiée par 
la Slovénie au titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document IP/N/1/SVN/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 
 
ESLOVENIA 
  En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 de la Ley de protección de las topografías de 
los circuitos integrados ( ZVTPPV-UPB2) - Versión refundida oficial, que entró en vigor el 10 de junio de 
2006 y que  Eslovenia ha notificado en virtud del párra fo 2 del artículo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el 
documento IP/N/1/SVN/3). 
                                                      
 1 In English only. The text in the original language is available for consultation by interested 
Delegations at the WTO Secretariat./En anglais seulemen t.  Les délégations intéressées peuvent consulter le 
texte dans sa langue d'origine, au Secrétariat de l'OM C./En inglés solamente.  Las delegaciones interesadas 
podrán consultar en la Secretaría de la OMC el texto en su idioma original. IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
Page 2  
 
Official Gazette of the RS 81/2006 of 31 July 2006 
3538 . Act on the Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits (Official Consolidated 
Version) (ZVTPPV-UPB2), page 8681 
Pursuant to Article 153 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of the Republic of 
Slovenia, at its regular session of 14 July 2006, the National Asse mbly approved the consolidated 
text of the Act on the Protection of Topograph ies of Integrated Circuits, which comprises the 
following: 
– Act on the Protection of Topographies of Integr ated Circuits – ZVTPPV (Official Gazette of the 
Republic of Slovenia, No 21/95 of 14.4.1995),  – Act amending the Act on the Protection of Topogra phies of Integrated Circuits – ZVTPPV-A (Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Slov enia, No 96/02 of 14.11.2002), and  
– Act amending the Act on the Protection of Topogra phies of Integrated Circuits – ZVTPPV-B (Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 60/06 of 9.6.2006).
 
 
No 318-01/93-6/9 
Ljubljana, 14 July 2006 EPA 925-IV 
     
 
President of the National 
Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, 
Dr France Cukjati 
 
ACT  
ON THE PROTECTION OF TOPOG RAPHIES OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS  
Official Consolidated Version  
(ZVTPPV-UPB2) 
Article 1  
Pursuant to Council Directive 87/54/EEC  of 16 December 1986 on the legal 
protection of topographies of semiconductor pr oducts (OJ L 24, of 27. 1. 1987, p. 36) 
and Directive 2004/48/EC of the Eur opean Parliament and of the Council 
of 29 April 2004 on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property  Rights (OJ L 195, 
of 2. 6. 2004, p. 16), this Act shall r egulate the granting of  protection and the 
protection of integrated circuit topographies.  
Article 2  
"Integrated circuit" shall mean the fina l or intermediate form of any product 
intended to perform an electronic function, c onsisting of a body of material which 
includes one or more connected layers co mposed of integrated elements, of which 
at least one shall be an active element.  
  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
 Page 3 
 
 
"Topography of an integrated circuit" ( hereinafter: "topography") shall mean an 
invariably fixed series of related images for each layer of the integrated circuit, 
representing the disposition of semiconducting elements on layers, however fixed or 
encoded or otherwise expressed.  
 
"Commercial exploitation" of a topogr aphy shall mean the manufacture, sale, 
rental, leasing or any other method of comme rcial distribution, directly relating to a 
topography or an integrated circuit produced on the basis of the respective 
topography.  
Article 3  
The right to protection of a topography shal l apply in favour of its creator. Where a 
topography is the product of more than one creator, the right  shall apply in favour of 
all such persons.  
 
Where a topography is created in the course of the creator's em ployment or on the 
basis of an order, the right to protection shall apply in  favour of the creator's 
employer or person placing the order, unle ss the terms of employment or of the 
order provide to the contrary.  
 
Persons entitled to the right under the fi rst and second paragraphs may be natural 
persons who are nationals of the Republic of Slovenia or companies and other legal 
persons with a registered office in the terri tory of the Republic of Slovenia. Persons 
entitled to the right under  the first and second paragr aphs may also be natural 
persons who are not national s of the Republic of Slov enia and do not have their 
habitual residence in the territory of the R epublic of Slovenia or foreign companies 
and other foreign legal persons, as a re sult of international contracts and 
conventions or of the application of the principle of reciprocity.  
Article 4  
The Slovenian Intellectual Property Office  (hereinafter: "Office") shall maintain a 
register of protected t opographies and shall perform the administrative proceedings 
and other administrative matters relating to  granting the right of  protection of a 
topography.  
 
Natural and legal persons may only be represented in proc eedings before the 
Office by representatives entered in the regi ster of patent agents, pursuant to the act 
regulating the granting and protection of industrial property rights.  
 
There shall be no appeal agai nst a decision taken by th e Office in accordance with 
this Act; however, an administrativ e appeal proceeding shall be possible.  
 
The register referred to in the first paragraph is a public document.  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
Page 4  
 
Article 5  
A topography may be protected if it is original.  
 
A topography shall be c onsidered to be original  if it is the result  of its creator's own 
intellectual efforts and was not commonplac e in the semiconductor industry at the 
time it was created.  
 
Where a topography consists of elements that are commonplace in the relevant 
industry, only the combination of such elem ents shall be protected,  provided that it 
fulfils the conditions relating to origina lity, as provided in the second paragraph.  
Article 6  
The holder of a protec ted topography shall be grant ed exclusive rights of 
commercial exploitation, including the ri ght to authorise or prohibit any of the 
following acts: 
 – reproduction of the topography by any means or in any form ;  
– importation, sale or other form of dist ribution of the topograp hy or integrated 
circuit incorporating the respective to pography or products that include the 
integrated circuit incorporati ng the respective topography.  
 
The exclusive rights referred to in the first paragraph shall not extend to any 
concept, process, system or technique em bodied in the topography other than the 
topography itself.  
Article 7  
A topography shall be protected when it is entered in the register of topographies.  
 
The exclusive rights shall commence applic ation from the earlie r of the following 
dates:  
 – date of filing of application purs uant to Article 9 of this Act;   
– the date when the respective topograp hy was first commercially exploited 
anywhere in the world.  
 
The exclusive rights shall cease applicat ion 10 years after the earlier of the 
following dates:  
– the end of the calendar year in which the period ten years from the date the topography 
was first commercially exploited anywhere in the world expires; or   
– the end of the calendar year  following the expiry of t he ten year period from the 
date a correct application was filed.  
  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
 Page 5 
 
 
The exclusive rights shall ex pire before the period defi ned in the third paragraph of 
this Article if the respective fees are not paid or if the hol der of the protected 
topography renounces protec tion in writing.  
 
Notwithstanding the third paragraph, if a topography has  not been commercially 
exploited, the exclusive ri ghts shall expire after 15 years from its fixation or 
encoding.  
 
Within the term of protection, the right  holder shall be entitled to mark the 
respective integrated circuit with a capital T. 
Article 8  
An application may not be filed after the l apse of two years from the date when the 
topography was first commercially exploited. 
Article 9  
The procedure for the registration of a right of protection shall commence with a 
request relating to entry in the register, whic h shall be accompanied  by all prescribed 
items (hereinafter: application).  
 
The application must contai n the following items:  
– name and signature of the applicant, name of the creator, nationality and habitual 
residence or registered office of the applicant;   
– images relating to the respective topography, accompanied by a mention of their 
sequence;   
– an abstract comprising the characteristics of the electronic function or functions of an 
integrated circuit, manufactured on the basis of the protected topography;   
– if the topography has already been commercially exploited, a statement in writing of the 
date when the respective topography was first commercially exploited .  
 
A separate application shall be filed for each topography.  
 
The minister responsible for intellectual pr operty shall issue r egulations specifying 
in greater detail the c ontents of applications. 
Article 10  
Fees shall be paid in consideration of  the registration and maintenance of 
protection of a topography.  
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia shall lay down regulations 
determining the amount of the fees  mentioned in the first paragraph. IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
Page 6  
 
Article 11  
The Office shall mark each application with the date of su bmission and an 
application number, and shall i ssue the application with a re ceipt of application.  
 
The Office shall examine whether the applic ation fulfils the conditions relating to 
the entry in the register of topographies as specifie d in the first paragraph of 
Article 9.  
 
The request shall be rejected if the applicat ion does not fulfil those conditions.  
 
If the application fulfils the conditions on ly in part, the Office shall invite the 
applicant to amend the applicatio n within a time limit of tw o months. The Office may, 
for legitimate reasons and at the request of the applicant, extend this term for 
another three months. If the applicant fails to reply in due time, t he application shall 
be deemed to be withdrawn.  
 
If an application fulfils all the conditions, it shall be entered in  the register of 
topographies and the applicant s hall be issued a certificate relating to the entry in 
the register.  
 
The entry in the respective register shall be published in the Official Bulletin of the 
Office. 
Article 11a 
At least the following data shall be enter ed in the register of topographies: 
registration number, applicati on date and number, date of pu blication, date of entry 
in the register, data on the rights holder  (surname, name and address or company 
name and registered office), data on the creator (surname,  name, address, wherein 
a statement of town and country shall su ffice), and the date the rights cease to 
apply.  
 
Information on judicial disputes and final  court judgments which the Office is 
notified of shall also be entered in the register of topographies. 
 
 The minister responsible for intellectua l property shall define the content of the 
register and procedure for enter ing changes in the register in greater detail in an 
implementing regulation.  
Article 12  
The registration shall be invalidat ed if it is established that: 
 – a topography is not original; or   IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
 Page 7 
 
 
– the application has  not been filed by a natural or legal person entitled to 
protection; or   
– the application was filed after the time  limit defined in the fifth paragraph of 
Article 7 or Article 8; or   
– images relating to the topography do not enable its identification .  
 
Any natural or legal person may institut e an action before a competent court to 
declare the rights null and void on the grounds referred to in the preceding 
paragraph.  
 
The final judgment shall be published in the Official Bullet in of the Office. 
Article 13  
A person whose rights have been infringed may, in addition to claiming damages, 
request that the person infringi ng his right be prohibited from  continuing to infringe 
those rights.  
 
Any person who infringes the rights pertain ing to a protected topography shall be 
liable for any resultant damages in accordance  with the general principles governing 
compensation for damage. The following cases shall not be considered an 
infringement of legally protected rights: 
 – reproduction of the protected topography for non-commercial purposes;   
– reproduction of the protected topography for the purpose of analysing or evaluating its 
concept, processes, systems and techniques, embodied in the topography, or for research 
or educational purposes; or   
– commercial exploitation of a new topography which has been created, however, on the 
basis of analyses and evaluation of the protected topography, but is considered to be 
original and the result of its creator's own intellectual efforts and is not commonplace in the 
semiconductor industry .  
 
The provision of the first paragraph of this Article shall also apply to the 
successors in title of the person referred to  in the first paragraph of this Article. 
Article 14  
A person who commercially exploits an inte grated circuit incorporating a protected 
topography and who does not know  or has no reasonable gr ounds to believe that 
the topography of the product is protected, shall not be pr evented from commercially 
exploiting that integrated circuit.  
 
Compensation, the amount of which depends on the scope of commercial 
exploitation of the protec ted topography, may be claimed from the person referred to 
in the first paragraph by t he holder of the protected topography. Compensation may 
be claimed as from the date when the pers on referred to in the first paragraph knew 
or had reasonable grounds to believe t hat the topography was protected.  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
Page 8  
 
 
The amount of compensation under t he second paragraph shall be agreed upon 
between the holder of the prot ected topography and the person referred to in the first 
paragraph of this Article. If no agreement is reached, t he competent court shall 
establish the amount of compensation.  
 
The provisions of the first paragraph of this Article shall also apply to the 
successors in title of the person.  
 
The right of commercial exploitation refe rred to in the first paragraph shall be 
limited to importation, sale or  distribution of the products of integrated circuits or 
other products incorporating the respec tive topography and shall apply to a 
topography or products that were on hand at  the time the claim under the second 
paragraph was received. 
Article 15  
The rights provided for in the second indent  of the first paragraph of Article 6 of 
this Act may not be exercised after the prot ected topography or integrated circuit has 
been put on the market by the respecti ve right holder or with his consent. 
Article 16  
Pursuant to this Act, only topographies that have been created after the date this 
Act has entered into force may be protected. 
Article 17  
In procedures pursuant to this Act, the fo llowing provisions of the act regulating 
the granting and protecti on of industrial proper ty rights shall apply mutatis mutandis : 
the sending of information on applications and  granted or registered rights, 
confidentiality of and access to applications , administrative disputes, procedures for 
legal action, the transfer and licensing of righ ts, the entry of changes to the register, 
the procedure for entering changes to the register, capacity to sue, infringement 
actions, damage compensation, submission of evidence, temporary injunctions, 
protection of evidence, obligation to no tify, representation before the Office, 
representative of foreign persons, and re vocation and termination of authorisation. 
The Act on the Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits – ZVTPPV 
(Official Gazette of the Republic of Slo venia, No 21/95) includes the following 
transitional and final provision: 
Article 18  
The regulations referred to in Articles 9 and 10 shall be published no later than six 
months following the date this  Act enters into force.  IP/N/1/SVN/L/1 
 Page 9 
 
 
Article 19  
This Act shall enter into force on the fift eenth day after its publication in the Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. 
The Act amending the Act on the Prot ection of Topographies of Integrated 
Circuits – ZVTPPV-A (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 96/02) 
includes the following transitional and final provision: 
Article 6  
The minister responsible for intellectua l property shall issu e the implementing 
regulation referred to in Article 4 of this Ac t within three months of this Act entering 
into force. 
Article 7  
This Act shall enter into force on the fift eenth day after its publication in the Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. 
The Act amending the Act on the Protection of Topographies of Integrated 
Circuits – ZVTPPV-B (Officia l Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 60/06) 
includes the following transitional and final provision: 
Article 4  
This Act shall enter into effect on the day after its publication in the Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. 
__________