News, cases and articles about intellectual property
Read how we help strengthen our clients’ innovations. Stay up to date with the latest IP news and be inspired by our articles.
IP firms Bockstael and IPLodge join forces as Oryon
Antwerp/Leuven, April 2, 2026 – Bockstael and IPLodge, two firms specializing in intellectual property, are joining forces under a new name: Oryon. The name launch is...
GE HealthCare announces intent to acquire icometrix
Exciting news from our friends at icometrix! It is a privilege to follow their journey GE HealthCare announces its intention to acquire icometrix to strengthen its...
Archimedes Patents and Bureau De Rycker are part of Oryon
Archimedes Patents and Bureau De Rycker, two well-established names in intellectual property, had previously joined forces with Bureau MFJ Bockstael and are now part of...
Clear answers to every IP question
What is a patent?
Een octrooi (of in het Engels patent) is een tijdelijk exclusief recht op het exploiteren van een technische uitvinding (het geoctrooieerde). Een octrooi geldt tot maximaal 20 jaar na de indiening van de octrooiaanvraag en is dus een tijdelijke bescherming. Als octrooieigenaar kan je anderen verbieden om je innovatie te gebruiken in een bepaalde regio, doorgaans een land. Je kan je uitvinding in meerdere landen beschermen door meerdere octrooien aan te vragen, volgens de geldende octrooiwetgeving in die landen.
Een octrooi laat je ook toe om licenties te geven op je uitvinding en zorgen zo voor een bron van inkomsten. We adviseren je graag over Europese en internationale verdragen die het verkrijgen van octrooien in meerdere landen vergemakkelijken.
Why is an IP strategy important?
The right IP protection strengthens your market position. It grants exclusive rights to commercialise your invention, trademark or design and creates a substantial competitive advantage. Your intellectual property is also an intangible asset on your balance sheet and therefore an added value to your company. In addition, IP can offer financial benefits through the patent deduction for inventions. Small-sized companies can use patents to boost their competitiveness. Larger companies often manage broader IP portfolios, making it essential to monitor each individual IP asset while maintaining a clear overall view.
How can I protect my trademark?
Unlike patents, which are limited in time, a trademark can remain your property indefinitely, provided it is renewed on time with the local or regional trademark registers. The initial filing date of your trademark is crucial in this, as it determines the start of your monopoly and can give you a six‑month priority right worldwide. You can count on our trademark attorneys and paralegals to handle all the administration required to register and protect your trademark rights. After an initial discussion and a favourable preliminary search, we file your trademark in all relevant countries. We subsequently ensure that your trademark is renewed everywhere in good time, so that it remains your property. You can expect transparency, clarity and a proactive approach.
How can I protect my design?
You can do so by registering the design rights. A registered design right offers protection for a definite period and in specific geographic areas. A design right can be valid for a maximum of 25 years in the European Union, provided it is renewed every five years. This allows designers to maintain long‑term protection as long as the registration is renewed in good time.
Design protection only applies in the countries where the design is registered. A design registered in the EU, for example, does not offer protection in the United States or China unless a separate registration is made there.