Switzerland Patent Law

According to the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, a patent under Swiss law is a protective right issued by the Swiss federal government covering the use of a solution to a technical problem.

Requirements

The Federal Institute of Intellectual Property explains that the granting of a patent under Swiss law requires a novel technical innovation. The innovation should not be obvious to an expert in the field in which the invention is to be used.

Protection

Under Swiss law, patent protection grants the inventor exclusive rights to his innovation for up to 20 years. With sole production rights to the process or product, the inventor has an opportunity to recoup the development costs and make a profit.

Countries

The countries of Switzerland and Liechtenstein are partners in a bilateral patent law treaty. This treaty makes patents granted in Switzerland or Liechtenstein legal in either country without a need for separate searches or patent filings.

References

• Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property: Patent--First Steps
• Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property: Protection in Switzerland