Bulgaria moves towards EU norms

A new system for registration of designs in Bulgaria, based on the Community design system, came into force on 12 February 2011. Where registration of a design is sought, it will be checked out for verification that it satisfies the formal requirements for registration and meets the criteria laid down in Articles 3 and 11(2)(1) of the Law, i.e. that the design in question is a "design" under the law and that it is not contrary to public order or morality. 


If the design application meets the above conditions, the Bulgarian Patent Office will issue a decision on registration and the design will be publish in the Official Gazette. 


The Patent Office will no longer examine the presence of earlier designs or other intellectual property rights. However, anyone who considers that the registered design affects his earlier rights can initiate proceedings for invalidation of the later-registered design. 

Source: Ventsi Stoilov (Sofia, Bulgaria, Intellectual Property Planet)