| Agency Name: | Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property |
| Native Name: | Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum Institut fédéral de la propriété intellectuelle Istituto federale della proprietà intellettuale Institut federal da proprietad intellectuala |
| Jurisdiction: | Federal administration of Switzerland |
| Headquarters: | Bern |
| Minister1 Name: | Simonetta Sommaruga |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Federal Councillor |
| Parent Agency: | Federal Department of Justice and Police |
| Website: | www.ige.ch |
The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) (French: Institut fédéral de la propriété intellectuelle, IPI; German: Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum, IGE; Italian: Istituto federale della proprietà intellettuale), based in Bern, is an agency of the federal administration of Switzerland responsible for patents, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs and copyright.
It is part of the Federal Department of Justice and Police. Since 1996, it operates as an autonomous agency with control of its own budget.
The Federal Intellectual Property Agency was founded on 15 November 1888. Albert Einstein worked there as a patent clerk for several years, including 1905, his Annus Mirabilis (miracle year). That year, while continuing to work on patents, Einstein published four groundbreaking papers that are fundamental to modern physics.
The agency was renamed the Federal Office of Intellectual Property in 1978 as part of the new administrative organisation law. On 1 January 1996, it received the status of an independent public law institution and continued under the name of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI).
| Short Title: | Federal Act on the Status and Tasks of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPIA) |
| Legislature: | Federal Assembly of Switzerland |
| Long Title: | (SR 172.010.31) |
| Territorial Extent: | Switzerland |
| Enacted By: | Federal Assembly of Switzerland |
| Date Enacted: | 24 March 1995 |
| Date Commenced: | 1 January 1996 |
| Status: | current |
The IPI's tasks are laid down in Federal Act on the Status and Tasks of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPIA) (German: Bundesgesetz über Statut und Aufgaben des Eidgenössischen Instituts für Geistiges Eigentum, IGEG, French: Loi fédérale sur le statut et les tâches de l’Institut Fédéral de la Propriété Intellectuelle, LIPI, Italian: Legge federale sullo statuto e sui compiti dell’Istituto federale della proprietà intellettuale, LIPI) adopted by the Federal Assembly in 1995.[1] Its main tasks are:
The IPI examines patent applications but this examination, as of 2021, does not include checking whether the invention meets the novelty and inventive step requirements.[2] [3]
Directors General
Technical experts