The application period for the SME Fund 2026 has opened and will run until 4 December 2026.

The SME Fund is a grant scheme designed to provide financial support to SMEs established in the EU and Ukraine for the protection of their intellectual property rights. Through a voucher-based reimbursement model, SMEs can recover part of their IP-related costs:

• Voucher 1: IP Scan and IP Scan Enforcement - 90% reimbursement
• Voucher 2: Trade marks and designs - up to 75% reimbursement
• Voucher 3: Patents - up to 75% reimbursement
• Voucher 4: Community Plant Varieties - 75% reimbursement

The application can be submitted by a business owner, employee or an authorised external representative acting on their behalf. 

For detailed information on requirements and how to apply, please consult here. Helpful FAQs can be viewed here.

An EUIPO webinar dedicated to the SME Fund 2026 can be accessed here.

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In line with the European Commission and EUIPO's focus on SMEs, ECTA established its SME task force years ago, recently evolved into the permanent SME-Link Committee. This Committee helps ECTA actively participate in EU discussions and activities related to SMEs. ECTA's objective is to promote broader and more effective use of IP by SMEs, while highlighting the important role of IP practitioners in this process.