Government administrative recess at the HIPO

On the basis of the Act on Government Administration, the Government of Hungary has decreed a government administrative recess for government administrative bodies from 22 December 2022 to 6 January 2023. This decision will also affect the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office, so our activities will be suspended between 22 December 2022 and 8 January 2023. This entails administrative changes before certain organisational units of the Office as follows:

Customer Service, library

• The Customer Service will start responding to customer enquiries received during the period concerned on 9 January 2023. Also, it is from this date that the substantive processing of requests submitted during this period will start. During the administrative recess, the Customer Service will not be available by telephone either.
• The János Frecskay Specialised Library will automatically extend the loan period for loans that expire during the recess.
• From 10 January, the Customer Service and the Specialised Library will be open for in-person visits of customers as usual.

Administration as a public authority

• Between 22 December 2022 and 8 January 2023 administration will be suspended in all units of the Office, as well as the acceptance of postal items and the personal receipt of documents at the registry.
• Possibilities for filing documents during the above-mentioned period:
• electronically via the Office's website using the appropriate forms (https://ugyintezes.sztnh.gov.hu/eBej2/step1);
• on paper via the automatic terminal (customer terminal) at the headquarters of the Office (1081 Budapest, János Pál II Pápa tér 7.);
• by fax.
• If the last day of the statutory time limit or the time limit set by HIPO for the customer to perform a procedural act, make a statement or remedy a deficiency falls within the duration of the administrative recess, the time limit, including for example the time limits for making a priority declaration, filing an opposition, paying fees or submitting requests for review, will expire on 9 January 2023.
• However, the deadlines available to customers that expire after 8 January 2023 will include the duration of the administrative recess.
• The period of the administrative recess does not count towards the time limit for the administration of authority proceedings before the HIPO, including the time limit for the forwarding of applications for review to the courts.

Public authority services

The time period for performing patent, trademark and design services provided by the HIPO does not include the duration of the administrative recess. The acknowledgement of orders received during the administrative recess will also be suspended, and these orders will be entered into HIPO's system with an order date of 9 January 2023.

International public authority procedures

The time limits for international patent proceedings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) will not be extended, but customers may justify any failure to perform an action during the administrative recess before the HIPO as receiving Office under Rule 82quater.1 of the Regulations.

• The deadlines concerning international trademarks/trademark applications at WIPO will not be extended. We therefore ask you that requests to be transmitted by the Office to WIPO for which the relevant deadline falls during the administrative recess – in particular international applications (Form MM2) if priority is claimed and requests for renewal of an international trade mark (Form MM11) – be filed no later than the end of the week before the administrative recess starts, i.e. by 16 December 2022, in order to avoid missing a deadline owing to the administrative recess.

Bodies of experts

• The activities of the Body of Experts on Industrial Property and the Council of Copyright Experts will be suspended during the administrative recess. The processing of requests for expert opinions submitted during this period will commence on 9 January 2023.

We ask for the understanding and patience of our customers for any possible inconvenience caused by the governmental administrative recess, and, at the same time, we also wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!