The SME Fund grant for EU trade mark registration allows businesses to recover a portion of the official EUIPO fees — and it is precisely the cost of the European procedure that most often deters small businesses from filing an application. Here is how the SME Fund 2025 voucher mechanism works, who is eligible for support, and what documents will be required.
What Is the SME Fund and Who Can Apply?
The SME Fund is an annual grant programme run by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) with the support of the European Commission. The programme provides partial reimbursement of official fees for filing trade mark and design applications, as well as separate funding for patents and IP Scan services.
Eligibility extends to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises registered in Ukraine or any EU member state — the programme has included Ukrainian companies since 2023. The SME criterion is standard: fewer than 250 employees, annual turnover not exceeding €50 million, or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.
What the Programme Covers
Funding is divided into several independent streams, and an application may be submitted for each separately.
Voucher 2 (Trade Marks & Designs) covers up to 75% of the official fees for registering an EU trade mark or design, up to a maximum of €700 per beneficiary. This is the voucher most frequently sought by bureau clients — it applies directly to EUIPO fees, which we covered in detail in our article on the cost of EU trade mark registration. EU Trade Mark Registration Costs.
Voucher 1 (IP Scan / IP Scan Enforcement) funds an audit of the business's intangible assets — providing recommendations on what to protect and to what extent, before any applications are filed.
Voucher 3 (Patents) covers part of the cost of filing patent applications, with the grant amount determined separately depending on the category of service.
What Documents the Procedure Requires
A standard package of documents is required to apply for a voucher: an extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities for Ukrainian companies, a bank account statement showing a euro-denominated account (EUIPO transfers reimbursements directly to the beneficiary's account), and a power of attorney authorising the patent attorney to act on the applicant's behalf.
How the Grant Procedure Works
The mechanism consists of four sequential steps. First, a voucher application is submitted through the EUIPO portal. A grant decision is then awaited — review typically takes approximately 10–15 working days. Once approved, the voucher holder files the application for trade mark, design, or patent registration and pays the official fees from their own funds. The final step is activating the voucher and submitting a reimbursement request, after which EUIPO transfers the funds to the company's account.
The programme budget is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, which means trade mark and design vouchers are typically exhausted before the official deadline — applicants who wait until the end of the year frequently find that funding has already run out.
Why It Is Worth Applying Through a Patent Bureau
Patent Bureau Dr. Emil Benatov & Partners supports clients through the SME Fund programme with over 20 years of practice at EUIPO and EPO, and with offices in Ukraine and the EU. We open funding for bureau clients free of charge and conduct all communications in Ukrainian and English. The indicative timeline for European trade mark registration is approximately seven months in the absence of examination objections or third-party oppositions; for designs, three to thirty days.
Since the voucher budget is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, it makes most sense to apply immediately after a new programme round opens rather than approaching the deadline.
Disclaimer: this article describes the conditions of the SME Fund 2025 programme. The programme is updated annually — the current round, funding limits, and voucher availability (including whether the trade mark and design voucher is currently open) should be verified on the EUIPO SME Fund page before submitting an application. SME Fund EUIPO перед поданням заявки.
