WIPO - PCT Applicant's Guide MK - North Macedonia
State Office of Industrial Property (North Macedonia)

    Applicable as from 13 March 2025
    (published on 14 March 2025)

    Summary of latest changes in this version
    RO: Electronic filing, Incorporation by reference, Color Drawings
    Summary of requirements for entry into the national phase: Restoration of the right of priority, Reinstatement of rights
    List of changes

    All available versions

    Useful information

    The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated almost every week with information received by the International Bureau.
    In case of question, please contact the Office or the International Bureau: pct.guide@wipo.int.
    List of abbreviations used in this document:
    Office: State Office of Industrial Property (North Macedonia)
    MPL: Law on Industrial Property
    The text may be obtained on the Internet at: http://www.ippo.gov.mk
    LAP: Law on Administrative Procedure
    List of currencies used in this document:
    CHF (Swiss franc), MKD (Macedonian denar)
    Countries and Offices information:
    The list of acronyms used for Offices is no longer shown as it has been integrated in the mouseover functionality for each ST.3 code shown in this document.
    Refer to List of WIPO Standards, Recommendations and Guidelines formerly Annex K, List of country names and two-letter codes. It includes a list of short names and two-letter codes accepted for use in indicating States, other entities and intergovernmental organizations and their Offices in documents relating to international applications under the PCT. The list is as set out in WIPO Standard ST.3.
    Also refer to PCT Contracting States formerly Annex A.
    Office profile
    For more technical information about the Office, refer to ePCT Office profile.
    PCT Reservations, Declarations, Notifications and Incompatibilities
    The Office does not have any reservations, declarations, notifications or incompatibilities.
    Refer to the full list.
    Office Closed dates
    The Office is closed weekly on Saturday and Sunday
    Additional closed dates can be consulted on the Office Closed dates page

    International Phase

    Annex B - Information on Contracting States or Intergovernmental Organization

    Contracting State:
    North Macedonia
    Two-letter code:
    MK
    Name of Office:
    State Office of Industrial Property (North Macedonia)
    Location:
    Str. Dame Gruev
    No. 14
    1000 Skopje
    North Macedonia
    Mailing address:
    Same as above
    Telephone:
    (389-2) 310 36 01
    E-mail:
    info@ippo.gov.mk
    Website:
    Facsimile:
    (389-2) 313 71 49
    Does the Office accept the filing of documents by facsimile or the like means (PCT Rule 92.4)?
    Yes, by facsimile
    Which kinds of documents may be so transmitted?
    All kinds of documents
    Must the original of the document be furnished in all cases?
    Yes, within 14 days from the date of the transmission, if the transmitted document is the international application or a replacement sheet containing corrections or amendments of the international application
    No, only upon invitation in the case of other documents
    Would the Office accept evidence of mailing a document, in case of loss or delay, where a delivery service other than the postal authorities is used (PCT Rule 82.1)?
    Yes, provided that the delivery service is:
    DHL,
    Federal Express
    Is the Office prepared to allow applicants to make applications available to the WIPO Digital Access Service for Priority Documents (DAS) (PCT Rule 17.1(b-bis)?
    More information about WIPO DAS is available at: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/das.
    No
    Competent receiving Office(s) for international applications filed by nationals or residents of this State:
    EP,
    IB,
    MK
    Does national legislation restrict the filing of international applications with foreign Offices?
    Refer to the Office
    Competent designated (or elected) Office(s) for this State:
    National protection: MK
    European patent: EP
    Types of protection available via the PCT:
    National:
    Patents
    European:
    Patents
    Payment methods accepted by the Office:
    Refer to the Office
    Availability under the national law for an international-type search (PCT Article 15):
    None
    Provisional protection after international publication:
    Where the designation is made for the purposes of a European patent:
    A published European patent application provisionally confers the protection conferred by Articles 17(3), 17(4), 121(2), 291 and 294 of the Industrial Property Act (rights to recover damages for infringement and prohibit infringing acts) as from the date on which a translation of the claims of the published European patent application into Macedonian has been communicated by the applicant to the person using the invention in North Macedonia.
    Information of interest if this Contracting State is designated (or elected)
    For national protection
    Time when the name and address of the inventor must be given:
    Must be in the request. If the data concerning the inventor are missing at the expiration of the time limit under PCT Article 22 or 39(1), the Office will invite the applicant to comply with the requirement within a time limit fixed in the invitation.
    Are there special provisions concerning the deposit of microorganisms and other biological material?
    Yes, refer to Annex L.
    For a European patent
    Refer to Annex B(EP)

    Annex C - Receiving Office

    Competent receiving Office for nationals and residents of:
    North Macedonia
    Language in which international applications may be filed:
    English
    Language accepted for language-dependent free text in the sequence listing:
    Same as above
    Language in which the request may be filed:
    English
    Number of copies required by the receiving Office if the international application is filed on paper:
    3
    Does the receiving Office accept the filing of international applications in electronic form?
    Where the international application is filed in electronic form in accordance with and to the extent provided for in Part 7 and Annex F of the Administrative Instructions, the total amount of the international filing fee is reduced (refer to “Fees payable to the RO”).
    Where the international application contains a sequence listing as a separate part of the description, this must be furnished in accordance with Annex C of the Administrative Instructions, that is, in compliance with WIPO Standard ST.26 XML format; no fees are due for sequence listings filed in this format. If the receiving Office does not accept international applications in electronic form in such format, the international application will be transmitted to the International Bureau as receiving Office (PCT Rule 19.4(a)(ii-bis)).
    For the relevant notification by the Office, refer to Official Notices (PCT Gazette) dated 19 May 2022, pages 135 et seq.
    Yes, the Office accepts electronic filing via ePCT-Filing
    Does the receiving Office accept the submission of pre-conversion documents and, if yes, in which format (Section 706 of the PCT Administrative Instructions)?
    Yes, any format
    Does the receiving Office accept incorporation by reference (PCT Rule 20.6)?
    Yes
    Does the receiving Office accept the submission of color drawings on an informal basis and transmit them to the International Bureau?
    Yes
    Does the receiving Office accept requests for restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 26bis.3)?
    Yes, the Office applies the “due care” criterion to such requests
    Competent International Searching Authority:
    EP
    Competent International Preliminary Examining Authority:
    EP
    Fees payable to the RO:
    Transmittal fee:
    2,700 MKD
    International filing fee:
    This fee is reduced by 90% if certain conditions apply (refer to Annex C(IB)).
    Equivalent in MKD of 1,330 CHF
    Fee per sheet in excess of 30:
    Equivalent in MKD of 15 CHF
    Electronic filing (the request in character coded format):
    Equivalent in MKD of 200 CHF
    Electronic filing (the request, description, claims and abstract in character coded format):
    Equivalent in MKD of 300 CHF
    Search fee:
    Equivalent in MKD of the search fee payable to the European Patent Office in EUR:
    Refer to
    Annex D(EP)
    Fee for priority document (PCT Rule 17.1(b)):
    550 MKD
    Fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 26bis.3(d)):
    1,000 MKD
    Is an agent required by the receiving Office?
    No, if the applicant resides in North Macedonia
    Yes, if the applicant is a non-resident
    Who can act as agent?
    Any natural or legal person registered to practice before the Office
    Waiver of power of attorney:
    Waivers of powers of attorney do not apply (PCT Rule 90.4(e) and 90.5(d)) where the agent or common representative submits any notice of withdrawal during the international phase (PCT Rule 90bis.1 to 90bis.4, also refer to International Phase, paragraph IP 11.048).
    Has the Office waived the requirement that a separate power of attorney be submitted?
    No
    Particular instances in which a separate power of attorney is required:
    Not applicable
    Has the Office waived the requirement that a copy of a general power of attorney be submitted?
    No
    Particular instances in which a copy of a general power of attorney is required:
    Not applicable

    Annex L - Deposits of Microorganisms and Other Biological Material

    Requirements of designated and elected Offices
    Only Offices whose applicable national law contains provisions concerning the deposits of microorganisms and other biological material are listed in Annex L. Unless otherwise indicated, deposits may be made for the purposes of patent procedure before these Offices with any depositary institution having acquired the status of international depositary authority under the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure.
    For a list of these institutions refer to:
    http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/budapest/pdf/idalist.pdf (and the detailed requirements for each institution at: https://www.wipo.int/budapest/en/guide/section_d/subsection_c.html)
    Notifications related thereto may be consulted under:
    http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/budapest/
    Further information concerning the requirements of international depository authorities under the Budapest Treaty is available at:
    http://www.wipo.int/budapest/en/guide/index.html
    Time (if any) earlier than 16 months from priority date by which applicant must furnish:
    — the indications prescribed in Rule 13bis.3(a)(i) to (iii):
    None
    — any additional indications:
    At the time of filing (as part of the application)
    Additional indications (if any) which must be given besides those prescribed in Rule 13bis.3(a)(i) to (iii) pursuant to notifications from the Office:
    To the extent available to the applicant, relevant information on the characteristics of the microorganism
    Additional information
    Deposits may also be made for the purposes of patent procedure before the State Office of Industrial Property (North Macedonia) with any international depositary institution recognized by the Office (a list is published in the official journal of the Office). The furnishing of samples to a third party may be subject to the condition that that party:
    (a) has a right to demand that a sample of the viable biological or microbiological material be made available
    (b) has undertaken to ensure that the applicant does not authorize access to the sample of the deposited viable biological or microbiological material to any third party before the expiry of the prescribed period of validity of the patent

    National Phase

    Summary of requirements for entry into the national phase

    Time limits applicable for entry into the national phase:
    Under PCT Article 22(3): 31 months from the priority date
    Under PCT Article 39(1)(b): 31 months from the priority date
    Does the Office permit reinstatement of rights (PCT Rule 49.6)?
    Yes, the Office permits reinstatement of rights under the “due care" criterion.
    Fee for reinstatement
    Refer to the Office
    Translation of international application required into (one of) the following language(s):
    Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).
    Macedonian
    Required contents of the translation for entry into the national phase:
    Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).
    Under PCT Article 22: Description, claims (if amended, as amended only, together with any statement under PCT Article 19), any text matter of drawings
    Under PCT Article 39(1): Description, claims, any text matter of drawings (if any of those parts has been amended, only as amended by the annexes to the international preliminary examination report)
    Is a copy of the international application required in particular circumstances?
    No
    Does the Office accept color drawings under its national law?
    Refer to the Office
    National fees:
    Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).
    Filing fee
    800 MKD
    Exemptions, reductions or refunds of fees:
    None
    Special requirements of the Office (PCT Rule 51bis):
    If not already complied with within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1), the Office will invite the applicant to comply with the requirement within a time limit fixed in the invitation.
    Appointment of an agent if the applicant is not resident in North Macedonia
    Statement justifying the applicant’s right to the priority application where the applicants are not identical
    This requirement may be satisfied if the corresponding declaration has been made in accordance with Rule 4.17.
    Evidence concerning exceptions to lack of novelty if the applicant claims such exceptions in respect of an international application
    Furnishing, where applicable, of a nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence listing in computer readable form
    Who can act as agent?
    Any natural or legal person registered to practice before the Office
    Does the Office accept the effect of restoration of the right of priority by the receiving Office (PCT Rule 49ter.1)?
    Yes, under the "due care" criterion
    Does the Office accept requests for restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 49ter.2)?
    Yes, the Office applies the “due care” criterion to such requests

    The procedure in the national Phase

    MK.01 TRANSLATION (CORRECTION)
    Errors in the translation of the international application can be corrected with reference to the text of the international application as filed (refer to National Phase, paragraphs NP 6.002 and NP 6.003).
    MK.02 FEES (MANNER OF PAYMENT)
    The manner of payment of the fees indicated in the Summary and in this Chapter is outlined in Annex MK.I.
    MK.03 EXAMINATION
    MPL Art. 52,
    MPL Art. 56

    A patent will only be granted after substantive examination. Preferably, on entry into the national phase, or within six months of this date the applicant should furnish the Office with a statement concerning examination. This statement shall indicate whether examination has been or shall be carried out either by one of the PCT International Searching Authorities or International Preliminary Examining Authorities (refer to Annex D or E), or a searching or examining authority that has entered into an agreement for search and examination with the Office or by the Office. The examination report should be furnished to the Office together with a translation in Macedonian within six months of the date of receipt.
    MK.04
    Where substantive examination by an authorized Office (refer to MK.03) has not been performed prior to entry into the national phase, such a request must be made within two years.
    MK.05 REPRESENTATION
    MPL Art. 22,
    MPL Art. 279

    Where the ordinary residence or principal place of business of the applicant is outside North Macedonia, an agent who is a resident of North Macedonia and who is registered to practice before the Office must be appointed for the purposes of national processing.
    MK.06 AMENDMENT OF THE APPLICATION; TIME LIMITS
    PCT Article 28,
    PCT Article 41,
    MPL Art. 50

    The applicant may amend or correct the international application up to the grant of a patent, provided that the scope of the subject matter of the application is not broadened thereby.
    MK.07 MAINTENANCE FEES
    MPL Art. 24,
    MPL Art. 86(2)

    Maintenance fees are due from the international filing date for maintaining the patent in force. Payment of the maintenance fees for subsequent years must be made before the anniversary of the international filing date of the application. If payment is not made within this time limit, it may be made together with a 25% surcharge, within three months after the due date or, together with a 100% surcharge, within a further period of six months. The amounts of the maintenance fees are indicated in Annex MK.I.
    MK.08 EXCUSE OF DELAYS IN MEETING TIME LIMITS
    PCT Article 24(2),
    PCT Article 48(2),
    PCT Rule 82bis,
    LAP Art. 106,
    LAP Art. 107,
    LAP Art. 108,
    LAP Art. 109,
    LAP Art. 110,
    LAP Art. 111

    Reference is made to paragraphs NP 6.022 to NP 6.027 of the National Phase. Where, during the international phase or before the Office, the applicant has missed a time limit for performing any act in relation to the international application, such time limit may be extended by the Office. The excuse of delay procedure is available to:
    (1) parties which have been delayed in performing certain actions due to justifiable reasons
    (2) parties which have failed to submit the application in time because it was submitted to an unauthorized authority due to lack of awareness or obvious mistake; and
    (3) parties which have missed prescribed deadlines due to lack of awareness or obvious mistake but submit the application or relevant papers to the competent authority within three days after the deadline and where delay would mean that the party would lose rights
    The request for excuse of delay must explain the circumstances which caused the delay and include the paper(s) sought to be submitted late. The request for excuse of delay must be submitted within eight days from the day on which the circumstance which caused the delay ceased to exist, or, where the party learned about its cessation only later, from the day the party learned of it. Requests for excuse of delay are acceptable only up until three months from the day when the delayed paper or action was due.
    MK.09
    MPL Art. 268,
    MPL Art. 269,
    MPL Art. 270

    Reinstatement of rights may be requested where the applicant, in spite of all due care required by the circumstances, failed to observe a time limit set by the Office, which is prejudicial to his rights. A request for reinstatement must be presented in writing within three months after the removal of the cause of the failure to observe the time limit and if the applicant has later learned of this failure, counting from the day he learned of it, but not later than twelve months from the expiration of the time limit which has not been observed. Within the said three months, the omitted action must be completed, the fee for reinstatement of rights and any late payment fees (refer to Annex MK.I) must be paid and the request must set out the facts on which it relies.
    MK.10
    MPL Art. 265,
    MPL Art. 266,
    MPL Art. 267

    Continued processing may be requested where the applicant failed to observe a time limit fixed by the Office and that failure directly causes a loss of rights conferred by a patent application or a patent. The continued processing may not be requestd for certain time limits set out in MPL Art. 267. The request for continued processing must be filed within two months from the day on which the applicant learned of the legal consequences. The Office shall authorize continued processing if the applicant files a request, performs all the omitted acts within the time limit, and pays the prescribed fee. After the expiry of six months from the date of omission, continued processing may not be requested.
    MK.11 REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE 25 OF THE PCT
    PCT Article 25,
    PCT Rule 51,
    MPL 20

    The applicable procedure is outlined in paragraphs NP 6.018 to NP 6.021 of the National Phase. If upon review under PCT Article 25, the Office denies an error or omission on the part of the receiving Office or the International Bureau, an appeal against this decision may be filed with the Administrative Court of Macedonia in accordance with the Law on Administrative Disputes within 30 days from the date of receipt of the decision.

    Annexes

    Annex MK.I - Fees
    Filing fee
    800 MKD
    Publication fee
    1,500 MKD
    Maintenance fees:
    — for the 3rd year
    800 MKD
    — for the 4th year
    1,000 MKD
    — for the 5th year
    1,200 MKD
    — for the 6th year
    1,400 MKD
    — for the 7th year
    1,600 MKD
    — for the 8th year
    1,800 MKD
    — for the 9th year
    2,000 MKD
    — for the 10th year
    3,000 MKD
    — for the 11th year
    4,000 MKD
    — for the 12th year
    5,000 MKD
    — for the 13th year
    6,000 MKD
    — for the 14th year
    7,000 MKD
    — for the 15th year
    8,000 MKD
    — for the 16th year
    9,000 MKD
    — for the 17th year
    10,000 MKD
    — for the 18th year
    11,000 MKD
    — for the 19th year
    12,000 MKD
    — for the 20th year
    13,000 MKD
    Fee for restoration of the right of priority
    1,000 MKD
    Surcharge for the late payment of maintenance fees:
    — fees paid within 3 months
    25% of the amount due
    — fees paid within 6 months
    50% of the amount due
    How can payment of fees be effected?
    Filing and maintenance fees must be paid by money order, cheque or bank transfer to a budget account of North Macedonia No. 1000 000 000 63095; suspense account No. 840-identification of the municipality-03135; revenue code: 722319; manner: 2. All payments should include the complete application number, the name of the applicant and the type of fee being paid.
    The publication fee must be paid to the account of the State Office of Industrial Property (North Macedonia):
    Account No. 1000 000 000 63095; account user 1100200213-787-13; revenue code and program: 724149-20; manner: 1; tax number of IPPO: 4030994253825, depositor of National Bank.
    Forms
    Please refer to the Office.
    Current version applicable from 13 Mar 2025 , printed on 16 Oct 2025
    2.2 #31 - 2025-10-15T11:58:01.602+02:00