Starting May 31, 2025, Ukraine will implement new legal provisions under Law No. 4362-IX, aimed at restoring the standard system of IP protection. This law replaces the temporary legal regime introduced in 2022 by Law No. 2174-IX, which had suspended many procedural deadlines due to martial law.
Key Changes Introduced by the New Law:
All deadlines that were temporarily suspended under the previous law, such as those for filing applications, paying official fees, lodging objections, or renewing IP rights, are now reinstated. Their calculation will resume from the point at which they were paused.
To ensure legal certainty, a 75-day transitional period has been introduced. During this window, applicants and rightsholders may complete any actions that were due but unfulfilled during the suspension period, without incurring any negative legal consequences. Notably, even if a deadline had nearly expired prior to the suspension, a full 75-day period, from May 31 to August 14, 2025, is granted to take the necessary actions.
Any official fees (e.g., annual maintenance fees for patents or trademarks) that fell due during the suspension period can be paid without fines or penalties until the end of the transitional period, August 14, 2025.
What Should Applicants and Rightsholders Do?
These legislative updates reflect Ukraine’s broader efforts to stabilize its institutional and legal environment, especially in the IP field. Despite ongoing challenges posed by the war, the Ukrainian government remains committed to restoring legal certainty, protecting the rights of IP holders, and ensuring that innovation and investment continue to thrive.
