Slovenia Trademark Information

Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe bordered by Italy on the west, the Adriatic Sea on the southwest, Croatia on the south and east, Hungary on the northeast, and Austria on the north. The population is estimated at 2,054,000 with a GDP of $57.74 billion.

The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the eurozone in 2007.

Trademarks are assigned through the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), Ministry of Economy. Slovenia is a member of the Madrid Protocol. A trademark is valid for 10 years and may be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.