In an effort to harmonise Serbian patent law with EU Regulation No. 2019/933, Serbia has recently amended its Law on Patents and started implementing the new law with effect from 23 December 2021.
The new law provides for manufacturing waiver to Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). The subject matter for utility models can now include devices. The new law allows for the manufacture of generic or biosimilar version of SPC-protected medicines during the protection period for export purposes or for stockpiling before term expiry. This will be applicable to SPCs that will come into force after 2 July 2022.
Utility model subject matter, which was previously restricted to a device's component layouts and its creation processes, has now been extended to the device itself. However, biotechnology inventions, substances, drugs, plant varieties and patentable procedures have now been excluded from the subject matter for utility models. The new law also prohibits double patenting. Regulations regarding the implementation of the amendments will be adopted by 23 June 2022. Read more