The Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (hereinafter "HIPO") is the central government office responsible for the protection of intellectual property, which was established in 1896 by virtue of Section 23 of Act XXXVII of 1895 on Patents for Inventions.
The detailed rules concerning the legal status, the financial management, the responsibilities and the competence of the HIPO are contained in Articles 115/D to 115/L of Chapter XIV/C of Act XXXIII of 1995 on the Protection of Inventions by Patents (hereinafter "Patent Act"), as well as in Act CXXV of 2018 on Government Administration (hereinafter “Kit”).
By virtue of Kit, HIPO, as a central government office, is directed by the Government.
The Minister for Culture and Innovation is responsible for the statutory supervision of the Central Government Office, in accordance with the Annex to Government Decree 182/2022 (24 May), issued by the Government under its original legislative powers.
Under the law, the President of the HIPO is appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister. The three vice-presidents are appointed and dismissed by the Minister on the President’s proposal.
The HIPO covers its operational costs from its own revenues; it manages its revenues independently and uses them to ensure its operations.
The HIPO constitutes a separate budgetary title of the Central Budget of Hungary within the budget heading of the ministry directed by the Minister supervising HIPO.
By virtue of Section 115/G of the Patent Act, the responsibilities and competence of the HIPO include:
a) official examinations and proceedings in the field of industrial property;
b) performance of certain tasks in connection with copyright and rights related to copyright;
c) central governmental information and documentation activities in the field of intellectual property;
d) participation in the preparation of laws regulating the protection of intellectual property;
e) development and implementation of the Government's strategy for the protection of intellectual property, initiation and execution of governmental measures required for this purpose;
f) performance of professional tasks of international and European co-operation in the field of intellectual property;
g)
h)performance of registration tasks related to the tax base reduction benefit that may be claimed by enterprises supporting start-up enterprises.
The responsibilities and competence of the HIPO are set out in detail in Sections 115/H to 115/L of the Patent Act, in other laws, in the Deed of Foundation of the HIPO and in its Organizational and Operational Rules.
Address:
H - 1081 Budapest, II. János Pál pápa tér 7. Hungary
Mailing address: H-1438 Budapest, PO Box 415. Hungary
Central phone: +36 1 312 4400, Fax: +36 1 331 2596
e-mail: hipo [169] hipo [961] gov [961] hu