SME Fund relaunched: trademark and design registration with compensation
As of 2 February, the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Fund has been relaunched. The fund is designed to support businesses seeking to protect their trademarks, designs and other intellectual property, while recovering part of the registration costs.
The project is implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) together with the European Commission, and is coordinated in Lithuania by the State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania.
The SME Fund attracts strong interest every year. In 2024 alone, more than 35,000 applications were submitted by SMEs from the European Union and Ukraine. As a result, the fund’s budget is limited, and in practice this means that applications are often closed before the official deadline is reached.
Under the EU definition, an SME is assessed based on a combination of criteria, rather than a single indicator. These include the number of employees, annual turnover, and annual balance sheet total. A business qualifies as an SME if it employs fewer than 250 people and has an annual turnover of up to EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total of up to EUR 43 million.
Importantly, SME status applies regardless of legal form. This means that not only limited liability companies, but also self-employed individuals and farmers may qualify for funding, provided they meet the established criteria.
Through EU funding, each SME may receive up to EUR 700 in compensation for trademark and design registration costs. This amount may be used to cover 75% of national or EU trademark and design registration fees, or 50% of registration costs outside the EU when applying under the Madrid or Hague systems. A detailed overview of compensations and costs is provided in the table below.
If you are considering trademark registration and would like the process to be handled smoothly from start to finish, we can assist with assessing SME eligibility, preparing and filing the trademark application, and supporting you throughout the entire compensation process.
Get in touch:
📩 info@prevence.legal
📞 +370 664 42822
