INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN CYPRUS

The primary trademark law is the Cyprus Trademarks Law Cap. 268, as amended by the Trademarks (Amendment) Law of 2020. The Cyprus legal system is mainly based on principles of common law and the European Union Law.
For getting a trademark registered in Cyprus, an application has to be filed with the Cyprus Trademark Office in hard copy.
It follows a 'first-to-use' system, which implies that registration is not mandatory for protection.
Cyprus follows the 11th edition of Nice Classification. Multi-class trademark applications are allowed.
The opposition period is three (03) months from the date of publication of the trademark application in the Official Bulletin.
A trademark registration is initially valid for ten (10) years, which can be further renewed indefinitely for successive periods of ten (10) years each.
If a trademark is not renewed on time, the registrar will proceed to its advertisement in the Official gazette under the section, “Trademarks not renewed.” Following its advertisement in this section, a grace period of two (02) months from the date of advertisement is provided for the payment of renewal fee plus a penalty fee.
The term for cancellation of a registered trademark based on non-use is five (05) years from the date of registration.

In Cyprus, the Patent Law of 1998 is the main source of patent legislation.
Cyprus is a signatory to the Paris Convention of Intellectual Property, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and the European Patent Organization (EPO).
For seeking patent protection in Cyprus, an application has to be filed with the Cyprus Patent Office, which administers the entire filing process. An application can also be filed through the EPO.
In Cyprus, an invention that satisfies the conditions of novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability has the potential to be used for industrial purposes and can be patented. Process patent and product patent are the two types of patents that can be protected.
The types of patent applications that can be filed include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
In Cyprus, an opposition against a patent application cannot be filed.
A patent of invention lasts for twenty (20) years in Cyprus. A protected patent, should be renewed (annuities paid) every year after the second year up to the end of the twenty (20) years’ protection.

The 2002 Law on the Legal Protection of Industrial Designs forms the legal basis for industrial design protection in Cyprus.
For getting an industrial design registered in Cyprus, an application has to be filed with the Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver.
The types of industrial design applications that can be filed in Cyprus include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
Opposition against an industrial design application cannot be raised in Cyprus.
The total duration of industrial design in Cyprus is twenty-five (25) years, provided the renewal fees are paid every five (05) years.
There is no grace period to renew a registered industrial design.

Cyprus is a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
The Copyright Law (No 59/1976 and its amendments up to 2015) is the primary law governing copyright protection in Cyprus.
In Cyprus, copyright comes into existence as soon as the work is created. There is no formal procedure for copyright registration in Cyprus.
In the case of scientific, literary, musical, or artistic works other than photographs, the protection lasts for fifty (50) years from the end of the year in which the author dies.
In the case of cinematograph films and photographs, the protection lasts for fifty (50) years beginning from the end of the year in which the work was first published.
In the case of sound recordings, the protection lasts for fifty (50) years beginning from the end of the year in which the recording was made.