Office address

For enquiries or comments:

The INPI Online services, at www.inpi.pt ,  allow you to perform free of charge searches and submit applications of Trademarks, Patents and Designs. 

INPI is open from 9.00 to 17.00 PT time, Monday to Friday. 

You can send any comments or suggestions on how we could improve our services to the e-mail address sgq@inpi.pt . 
For any queries about industrial property, and INPI services, please e-mail us to atm@inpi.pt .

Customer Service 
Address: Campo das Cebolas, 1149-035 – Lisboa 
Tel.: (+351) 21 881 81 00 (for international callers) and 808 200 689 (PT callers only – charged at local rate) 
Fax: (+351) 21 886 98 59

Contact mandatory information

In case of not being established in Portugal you can still act directly to INPI’s services by indicating an adress in Portugal, an e-mail adress or a fax number in order to receive notifications.
If you are being represented by an authorized representative, you should provide the relevant power-of-attorney.

Online Searches

INPI provides free access to its databases in its website at www.inpi.pt on the menu INPI Online – Searches. This allows you direct access to information on-  Trademarks, Patents, Design and Status of the acts filed at INPI.

The information available corresponds exactly to what is registered in INPI’s system, and is valid until the date indicated in the Help section (on the right-hand side of the screen).

Important: A search request, or an online search, does not confer any industrial property rights. In order to determine priority, novelty, the body of existing technical knowledge, or similar issues, it is necessary to consult other databases and sources of information.

Find below a list of IP actors available in this country. They are classified along the following categories :

• Continous Training/Education ( 1 contact(s) available)

• Initial Training/Education ( 1 contact(s) available)

• National IP bodies ( 7 contact(s) available)

• IP agents (patent, trademark…) (eventually the professional association) ( 85 contact(s) available)

• IP lawyers (non-exhaustive list) (eventually the professional association) ( 8 contact(s) available)

• Guidance for financial assistance ( 8 contact(s) available)

• Guidance for valorisation (licencing, sale or any other form of IP transfer) ( 2 contact(s) available)

• Organisations combating IP counterfeiting ( 5 contact(s) available)

• Other Units of Industrial Property Promotion (GAPI / UIPP Network) ( 19 contact(s) available)

• Other Business Formality Centers ( 14 contact(s) available)

• Other OTIC Network – Units for Technology and Knowledge Transfer ( 21 contact(s) available)

Raising Awareness of IP

INPI actively promotes actions for spreading the IP knowledge and increase the use of IP protection. The main targets of these awareness activities are the businness and commerce entrepreneurs, the academic, R&:D researchers and universities.

The GAPI/UIPP Network

The UIPP – Units for Industrial Property Promotion – are operational units independent from INPI, located in Universities and University-Industry Interfaces, Technological Centers, which promote and disseminate Industrial Property.

The UIPP network has 20 units geographically spread all over the country.

These units have the competence to inform, promote and disseminate Industrial Property. Additionally, they also carry out the following activities: dissemination of information about the knowledge transfer mechanisms: acquisition of competences on technology and intangible assets evaluation: promotion of activities to support enforcement: awareness of SME and large companies to the importance of Industrial Property.

For information on these units location and contacts please go to www.inpi.pt – Contacts – GAPI/UIPPNetwork.

Enforcing IP rights

Once the industrial property rights have been protected, the owners have various means at their disposal to react against their infringement:

• If they want the offenders to be punished, they can file a criminal case with the courts by lodging an official complaint with the relevant authorities (the Authority for Economic and Food Safety (ASAE), the Customs Brigade of the National Republican Guard (GNR) or the Public Prosecution Office). INPI does not receive or forward complaints relating to infringements.
• If the aim is to be compensated for immaterial or actual damages suffered as a result of the infringing activities, the owner should know that violations give rise to non-contractual civil liability and that the offender may be obliged to compensate.

Any person who infringes another’s rights could face a prison sentence, have their assets seized to pay an equivalent fine, penalties or compensation, or be forced to cease their commercial activity (by having their business closed down, for example).
Relevant Contacts for all Industrial Property rights:

• ASAE – Food Safety and Economic Authority – www.asae.pt
• GNR – Fiscal Brigade of the National Republican Guard – www.gnr.pt
• PSP – Public Security Police – www.psp.pt
• IGAC – Institution for the General Inspection of Cultural Activities – http://wwwigac.ml.pt
• DGAIEC – Customs General Directorate – www.dgaiec.min-financas.pt

Other contacts for complaints of infringements of copyrights and related rights can be made:

• By e-mail to: combatepirataria@igac.pt
• By post to:
  IGAC – Institution for the General Inspection of Cultural Activities
  Palácio Foz, Praça dos Restauradores
  Apartado 2616 , 1116-802 Lisboa
  Tel. 351 21 321 25 00;
  Fax: 351 21 321 25 66
  or
  Rua Gonçalo Cristovão, nº 84, 5º Dt, 4000-264 Porto
  Tel. 351.223.394.520; Fax: 351.223.394.529
  E-mail: igacgeral@igac.pt