Intellectual Property Rights
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If you perform research which could lead to a patentable or exploitable invention or discovery, you need to know about intellectual property rights in the Slovak Republic.
The portal www.dusevnevlastnictvo.gov.sk is a platform, which enables you to obtain a basic overview, orientation and information source of the intellectual property rights in the Slovak Republic.
It is administered by Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic. The portal contains information about copyright and related rights, about industrial property rights or about unfair competition. The information about trade names, trade secrets and know-how or about protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights are included too.
Intellectual property law is composed of two areas:
1. Copyright and related rights - it primarily concerns artistic and cultural activities
2. Law of industrial property rights - it primarily concerns economic and technological activities
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Copyright and related rights protects works (e.g. literary, musical, photographic and architectural works) and other protected subjects matter to which related rights are attached (artistic performance, recording - sound and audio-visual), computer programs and databases.
No registration is required for protection (it arises automatically).
This area primarily concerns artistic and cultural activities.
Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic is the central authority for this area of law.
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Protect objects created by artistic and creative activities (e.g. inventions, technical solutions, designs) or products and services under a sign (e.g. trade marks).
Registration is required for protection.
This area primarily concerns economic and technological area, production and services.
Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic is the central authority for this area of law.