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Strategic IP & Commercial Advice

In today’s environment of economic competition, accentuated by what is referred to as globalisation, the stature of Intellectual Property - in its various aspects (patents, trademarks, designs, secrets, licensing agreements, etc.) is becoming more and more important for developed countries.

At the national level, IP is a crucial economic factor, contributing to the safeguarding of jobs and playing its part in wealth creation.

In fact, the challenges of IP for a company, even just in protecting the development of its activities for conserving or indeed improving its market positioning amongst partners or competitors, are very real and are inevitably expressed in terms of market share and jobs.

Business Advisory Services

The new launch of Malta Enterprise’s Business Advisory Services in January 2011 is good news for Maltese enterprises engaged in any business. The services are particularly aimed at micro, small and medium sized businesses to assist them in their efforts to be more competitive.

Improving a business’ competitive edge is an ongoing process. In line with government strategy to assist businesses in their development, these services can be beneficial to businesses recognising the need for innovation throughout the enterprise to improve performance.

With the appointment of an advisor, the enterprises will undergo an assessment and assistance to clients will include:

  • start-up support
  • business planning and modelling
  • international competitiveness and export readiness
  • market development
  • human resources management
  • product and service development
  • intellectual property protection and management
  • information management
  • business process reengineering

Importantly the advisory team have practical, hands-on experience in a wide range of business sectors. 

While no business is excluded from receiving support, the sectors that particularly fall within Malta Enterprise’s economic development strategy are:

  • manufacturing
  • ICT
  • creative - film/entertainment/fashion/arts and culture
  • tourism
  • transportation (including marine and aviation)
  • life sciences (including pharmaceutical and health care)
  • financial services
  • research and development
  • innovation

Benefits to businesses include the opportunity to “think tank” their ideas and explore ways to optimise their business. The business model can be upgraded to address a specific area such as liquidity difficulties despite good profitability.  Marketing expertise can assist with a strategy to build the business while ensuring that each euro spent delivers economic results.  Product and Service Development takes the business through the whole product cycle and shows how to carry out research, development & innovation. Specialist expertise will guide on how to research, apply and register Patents.  Intellectual Property can also lend itself to the creative development of a business. Advisory services in Business Process Reengineering can help bring about change to assist companies improve performance and profit.

For companies or entrepreneurs, including those that have already undergone the Commerce Department's IP Check-Up ServiceTM, as well as others who might not have previously considered using advisory services because of costs, this service is provided free of charge for the first 10 hours.  If requested, further hours can be made available by agreement at a subsidised rate. 

Moreover, a number of other Support Measures are provided by the Malta Enterprise for local SMEs, including Tax Credits for Industrial Research and Tax Exemption on Patent Royalties

For further information contact Business Advisory (+356) 2542 0000 or advisory@maltaenterprise.com

List of  individuals, firms, and entities wishing to act as Representatives or Attorneys in relation to IP matters.

The Commerce Department provides non-exhaustive list of individuals, firms, and entities who have informed this office that they wish to act as Advisors, Consultants, Representatives, Agents or Attorneys in relation to IP matters.

List of individuals, firms, and entities with a place of business in Malta, who have informed this office that they wish to act as Advisors, Consultants, Representatives, Agents or Attorneys in relation to IP matters.  List of ​local IP Attorneys​​​ ​​​​​

List of individuals, firms, and entities with a place of business outside Malta, who have informed this office that they wish to act as Advisors, Consultants, Representatives, Agents or Attorneys in relation to IP matters. List of foreign IP Attorneys​ ​​​​​​​

Such lists are made available by the Commerce Department purely for reference purposes only and do not confer any special status to anyone included in these lists. These lists which are provided by the Commerce Department for information purposes only, serve solely in assisting users of the IP system in contacting a representative in relation to IP matters, should they require to do so, and therefore  should not be understood as any official recognition to act as an Attorney or Representative before this or any other IP office or related institution.​

In order to be included in the above mentioned lists please send an email including all contact details to ipoffice@gov.mt

Professional Representation before the EPO

The following is a list of persons fulfilling the conditions contained in the European Patent Convention (EPC) and who have been entered on the list of professional representatives authorised to act before the European Patent Office.
List of Professional Representatives before the EPO

You may obtain additional information on how to become a Professional Representative before the EPO by sitting for the European Qualifying Examination. 

Click on the following link for additional information about the EQE: http://www.epo.org/patents/learning/qualifying-examination.html

IP Litigation Cases

The current law on Trademarks in Malta is contained primarily in the Trademarks Act, Act XII of 2019, Chapter 597 of the Laws of Malta, which entered into force on the 14th May 2019.

This Act was intended primarily to bring domestic law in line with the rules on Trademarks prevalent in the European Union, and particularly to incorporate the provisions of the EU Trademarks Directive into Maltese law.

Nevertheless, Malta has a long tradition of regulating trademarks, going as far back as the start of the 20th century when in the year 1900 the Industrial Property Protection Ordinance, Chapter 29, was adopted.

Since the introduction of this first law on trademarks in Malta, Maltese courts have faced all sorts of actions dealing with trademarks instituted by Maltese as well as foreign trademark holders.

Post a Litigation Summary

If you have been involved in an IP Litigation case and would like to post a summary of this case, please fill in the form provided below:

Post a Litigation Summary


Redress or appeal:
Decisions of the office which are open to redress or appeal must be sent on ipoffice@gov.mt or in writing at:
Commerce Department, Industrial Property Registration
Director Industrial Property Registration
Lascaris Bastions, Daħlet Ġnien is-Sultan,
Valletta  VLT 1933, Malta
 
​Disclaimer:
Unless otherwise indicated, the information contained in this site is issued by the Industrial Property Registrations Director within the Commerce Department at The Ministry for the Economy, European Funds and Lands
 
Updated on:
Last updated on the 5th May 2022