Octrooirecht

Patent law grants an inventor or their successor in title a temporary monopoly over a new, inventive and industrially applicable invention. This right arises upon grant of a patent by the Netherlands Patent Office or the European Patent Office and generally subsists for twenty years.

Patent law is relevant in that it stimulates innovation and investment in research and development; absent such protection, undertakings would be less inclined to develop new technologies. It also prevents competitors from copying the invention without incurring any cost.

In practice, a patent attorney advises clients on the preparation of patent applications, the conduct of opposition proceedings and the enforcement of patents through infringement proceedings before the courts.