NL Patent Office

Patenting is publishing

Every patent application is published eighteen months after the application has been filed. The publication is in exchange for the protection that the patent offers.

By publishing the patent application, others are able to find out about new technologies and to innovate them further. It is also possible to find out what has already been developed, preventing a 'reinvention of the wheel' each time.

Exchange
The publication of patents, which usually takes place after eighteen months, is an international agreement and something that takes place throughout the world. The patent gives the patent holder exclusive rights that are temporary and local in nature.

Published patent applications appear in patent databases. By publishing patent applications, the market is able to find out about new technologies and to innovate them further.