Switzerland (CH)

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country situated at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities based in Bern. Switzerland is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau, the Alps and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq. mi) and land area of 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq mi). Although the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities and economic centres are located, among them Zürich, Geneva and Basel. These cities are home to several offices of international organisations such as the WTO, the WHO, the ILO, the headquarters of FIFA, the UN’s second-largest office, as well as the main building of the Bank for International Settlements. The main international airports of Switzerland are also located in these cities.

Intellectual property protection in Switzerland

Intellectual property office Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
Website http://www.ige.ch
Contact details Stauffacherstrasse 65
CH-3003 Berne
+41 31 377 77 77

Patent

Time limit applicable for entry into the PCT national phase 30 months from the priority date
Time limit applicable for filing Conventional application 12 months from the priority date
Language German, French and Italian
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Swiss Patent Attorney
Power of Attorney Power of Attorney can be submitted at the time of filing.scanned copy of signed Power of Attorney will suffice the requirement

Trademark

Filing requirements
  • Applicant(s) details
  • Representation of the mark
  • List of good(s) and/or service(s)
Multiple-class applications Yes
Power of Attorney Power of Attorney can be provided along with the application or within one month from the date of filing
Opposition period Within three months from publication of the trademark application
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Swedish Trademark Attorney

Industrial Design

Filing requirements
  • Applicant's name and address
  • Representation of the design
  • Power of Attorney
Multiple design applications Yes, if they belong to the same class of Locarno classification
Power of Attorney Power of Attorney can be submitted at the time of filing. A scanned copy of signed Power of Attorney will suffice the requirement
Examination Formal examination
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Swiss Design Attorney

Source: WIPO and Wikipedia