Hungarian Intellectual Property Office

The VIVACE Program of the Hungarian Patent Office for SMEs

In order to take advantage of the possibilities deriving from Hungary's accession to the European Patent Convention and the Community Trademark System as well as to reduce the arising disadvantages, the Hungarian Patent Office prepared - in agreement with the administrative authorities and professional bodies concerned - the Action Plan Promoting Industrial Property Competitiveness of Entrepreneurs (the Hungarian acronym of which is: VIVACE). VIVACE is aimed at heightening awareness of the intellectual property system within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and at developing their industrial property culture.

In a knowledge-based economy, the effective management of intellectual property is becoming a more and more important condition for coping with market competition. This calls for the development of the industrial property culture of enterprises, for the enhancement of their awareness of the industrial property system and for the strengthening of their industrial property skill.

The conditions of accessing patent information are more favorable in the United States and in Western and Northern European countries than in the Central and Eastern European region. As far as the use of patent information is concerned, Hungary takes a place in the middle of European countries. It is advisable to raise the awareness of the industrial property system in the circles of SMEs by means of campaigns, special training programs and by applying up-to-date information and communication techniques. The intellectual property-related services of chambers, incubators, science parks and institutions supporting enterprises should be improved. Furthermore, it is indispensable to promote all the efforts that aim at the reduction of the costs of acquiring and maintaining intellectual property rights.

To reach the targets set above, the Hungarian Patent Office launched a joint development program for SMEs together with the Ministry of Economy and Transport. The SMEs' Activity Plan sets the task to increase the competitiveness of SMEs by the following means:

• Development of IP information services and education,
• Development of economic incentives.

VIVACE Program main page