Country Profile: Estonia

Laws

Main IP Laws (enacted by the Legislature)

• Trade Marks Act, 2004 (2004)
• Competition Act of June 5, 2001 (2001)
• Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV) Convention Ratification Act of 15 March 2000 (2000)
• Plant Variety Act of 25 March 1998 (last amended on January 19, 2000) (2000)
• Utility Model Act of 16 March 1994 (last amended on February 9, 2000) (2000)
• Copyright Act adopted on 11 November 1992 as last amended on September 27, 2000 (2000)
• Copyright Act of November 11, 1992 (last amended by the Act of February 15, 2000) (2000)
• Geographical Indications Protection Act of December 15, 1999 (1999)
• Accession to the Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms of 9 December 1999 (1999)
• Accession to the International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations Act of 9 December 1999 (1999)
• Alcohol Act of 10 February 1999, last amendment 16 June 1999 (1999)
• State Secrets Act of 26 January 1999 (1999)
• Code of Civil Procedure of 22 April 1998, last amendment 25 February 1999 (1999)
• Customs Act of 17 December 1997 (as last amended on October 13, 1999) (1999)
• State Fees Act of 22 October 1997, last amendment 28 September 1999 (1999)
• Databases Act of 12 March 1997, last amendment 20 January 1999 (1999)
• Medicinal Products Act of 19 December 1995, last amendment 16 June 1999 (1999)
• General Principles of the Civil Code Act of 28 June 1994, last amendment 20 January 1999 (1999)
• Patent Act of 16 March 1994 (last amended on October 27, 1999) (1999)
• Taxation Act of 16 December 1993, last amendment 15 September 1999 (1999)
• Consumer Protection Act of 15 December 1993, last amendment 25 February 1999 (1999)
• Act of Administrative Procedure of 21 June 1993, last amendment 26 January 1999 (1999)
• Code of Criminal Proceedings of Appeal and Cassation of 21 June 1993, last amendment 26 January 1999 (1999)
• Code of Enforcement Procedure of 21 June 1993, last amendment 17 February 1999 (1999)
• Copyright Act (Adopted on 11 November 1992; last amendment 22 February 1999) (1999)
• Criminal Code of 7 May 1992, last amendment 16 June 1999 (1999)
• Code of Criminal Procedure of 6 January 1961, last amendment 16 June 1999 (1999)
• Act on the Protection of Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits of 25 November 1998 (1998)
• Seed and Plant Propagating Material Act of 13 May 1998 (1998)
• Competition Act of 11 March 1998 (1998)
• Industrial Design Protection Act of 18 November 1997 (last amended on November 25, 1998) (1998)
• Patent Act of 16 March 1994 (last amended on November 25, 1998) (1998)
• Trademark Act of 27 August 1992 (last amended on December 17, 1997) (1997)
• Civil Code of 12 June 1964, last amendment 11 June 1997 (1997)
• Accession to the Berne Convention Act of 18 May 1994 (1994)

Implementing Rules/Regulations

• Government Regulation on Granting Block Exemptions on Technology Transfer Agreements of 23 November 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture on the Categories of Cereal Seed, Packaging, Marketing and Import of Cereal Seed of 20 April 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture on the Categories of Fodder Plant Seed, Packaging, Marketing and Import of Fodder Plant Seed of 20 April 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture on the Categories of Propagative Material of Ornamental Plants of 20 April 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture on the Categories of Seed Potato, Packaging, Marketing and Import of Seed Potato of 20 April 1999 (1999)
• Government Regulation on Granting Block Exemptions on Certain Categories of Restrictive Agreements of 23 March 1999 (1999)
• Government Regulation on Establishment of the State Register of Plant Protection Products of 12 March 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture on the Species Eligible for the Listing and Certification and Registration of Varieties of 12 March 1999 (1999)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming Implementing Regulations Derived from the Layout-Design of Integrated Circuit Protection Act of 4 March 1999 (1999)
• Government Regulation on Confirming the Statutes of the Patent Register of 29 December 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Statutes of the Patent Gazette of 29 December 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Disclosing of Patent Application of 25 November 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Form of Patent Certificate of 25 November 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Form of Patent Specification of 25 November 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Requirements of Patent Application of 25 November 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Establishing the Files of Patent Examination of 9 November 1998 (1998)
• Government Regulation on Confirming the Statutes of the Trademark Register of 10 June 1998 (1998)
• Government Regulation on Establishing the Industrial Design Register of June 10, 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Requirements of Industrial Design Registration Application of 15 May 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Statutes of the Industrial Design Gazette of 15 May 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Establishing the Files of Industrial Design Examination of 15 May 1998 (1998)
• The Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Statutes of the Trademark Gazette of 15 May 1998 (1998)
• The Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Establishing the Files of Trademark Examination of 15 May 1998 (1998)
• Minister of Culture's Regulation on Enforcing the Minimal Rates of Author's Remuneration for Reproduction of Artistic Works in the Press of 16 April 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Form of Industrial Design Certificate of 7 April 1998 (1998)
• The Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Form of Trademark Certificate of 7 April 1998 (1998)
• The Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Requirements of Trademark Application of 7 April 1998 (1998)
• Regulation of the Minister of Economic Affairs on Confirming the Requirements of Utility Model Registration Application of 31 December 1996 (1996)
• Minister of Culture's Regulation on Approving the Procedure for Payment of Levies for Authors, Performers and Producers of Phonograms to Compensate for the Use of Work or Sound Recording of a Work by Producers and Importers of Recording Devices and Devices for Sound and Video Recordings (Without Recordings) of 4 September 1996 (1996)
• Government Regulation on Approving the Procedure for Collection and Payment of Levies to Compensate for the Use of Audiovisual Works and Sound Recordings of Works of 26 January 1995 (1995)
• Government Regulation on Establishing the Patent Register of 15 February 1994 (1994)
• Government Regulation on Establishing the Utility Model Register of 15 February 1994 (1994)
• Government Regulation on Establishing the Trademark Register of 26 August 1992 (1992)

Treaty Membership

WIPO-Administered Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• WIPO Copyright Treaty (March 14, 2010)
• WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (March 14, 2010)
• Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (August 14, 2009)
• Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol (June 30, 2006)
• Patent Law Treaty (April 28, 2005)
• Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs (December 23, 2003)
• Trademark Law Treaty (January 7, 2003)
• Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms (May 28, 2000)
• Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations (April 28, 2000)
• Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (November 18, 1998)
• Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification (February 27, 1997)
• Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs (October 31, 1996)
• Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Micro-organisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (September 14, 1996)
• Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (May 27, 1996)
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (October 26, 1994)
• Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (August 24, 1994)
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (August 24, 1994)
• Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (February 5, 1994)

IP-related Multilateral Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property
• Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (October 8, 2009)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (February 5, 2009)
• Protocol (III) additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the adoption of an additional distinctive emblem (August 28, 2008)
• Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005 (March 18, 2007)
• WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (October 25, 2005)
• International Plant Protection Convention (October 2, 2005)
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (September 25, 2005)
• London Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (August 4, 2005)
• Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (April 17, 2005)
• Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (April 17, 2005)
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (February 16, 2005)
• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (June 29, 2004)
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (June 21, 2004)
• Protocol to the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific or Cultural Materials (February 1, 2002)
• Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (October 31, 2001)
• Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (August 1, 2001)
• International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) (September 24, 2000)
• Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) (November 13, 1999)
• World Trade Organization (WTO) - Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) (1994) (November 13, 1999)
• Helsinki Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (October 6, 1996)
• International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods (June 4, 1996)
• Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (January 27, 1996)
• Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (July 4, 1995)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (October 25, 1994)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (October 25, 1994)
• United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (October 1, 1994)
• Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. (July 18, 1993)
• Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea. (July 18, 1993)
• Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. (July 18, 1993)
• Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts. (July 18, 1993)
• Protocol (II) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts. (July 18, 1993)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (January 21, 1992)
• Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit (September 4, 1925)

IP Regional Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• Convention on the Grant of European Patents (EPO) (July 1, 2002)