PRESS RELEASE
Data: 26.09.2023
The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS), which has sued the Romanian Government demanding the simplification of procedures and the elimination of unnecessary fees charged by the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM), will plead its case at the first trial in October.
The Romanian government defends itself by claiming that the current fees charged by OSIM are the result of an extensive consultation and review process at European level, which aimed at harmonising domestic legislation with that of the European Union. However, a simple comparison between Romania and other EU countries, such as Poland, Germany or Slovakia, shows that OSIM has a much higher number of fees than other countries.
A clear example is the fact that in 2023 OSIM will still charge a fee for the trivial operation of issuing a copy.
It is also outrageous that OSIM, the very institution that is supposed to support innovation and progress, is lagging behind on a crucial chapter: digitisation. In fact, this very issue is preventing the elimination of some taxes, as the Romanian Government itself admits.
Currently, OSIM does not have the capacity to issue registration/renewal certificates online, a fee that amounts to almost €50 and could be eliminated through digitisation.
Another problem that FACIAS has requested to be solved is the differentiation made by OSIM between colour and black and white marks, as there are very large differences in fees between these two types. This leads to situations where the trademark is frequently filed in black and white although it is used in colour. The Government's explanation of the difficulty of examining the two types of marks is not only unsatisfactory, but downright ridiculous. The European Union Intellectual Property Office does not charge any such fee, thus proving that OSIM's way of working is far behind current standards.
With this legal action, FACIAS reaffirms its commitment to fight against state abuses and to protect the rights of Romanian citizens, at a time when innovation is essential for the progress of society.
FACIAS Press Office