NBPR carries a long tradition

The history of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland (NBPR) started in 1835 when a Manufacture Board was established in the Senate of Finland.

In 1842, the Imperial Senate of Finland granted the first Finnish patent on suggestion of the Manufacture Board.

1885: The Industrial Board was established and the functions of the Manufacture Board were transferred to the Industrial Board.
1889: Registration of trademarks began.
1896: The Trade Register was established.
1919: The Industrial Board was discontinued and matters relating to patents, trademarks and the Trade Register were trusted with the Board of Trade and Industry.
1921: Finland became a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
1926: The Board of Trade and Industry was discontinued and matters relating to patents, trademarks and the Trade Register were trusted with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
1942: The National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland (NBPR) was established.

The NBPR since 1942

1971: First registered design
1980: Patent Cooperation Treaty, PCT
1992: First utility model
1992: Board of Directors was appointed for the NBPR
1995: The Register of Foundations and the Register of Associations were transferred to the NBPR
1995: The Advisory Committee for Associations was established
1996: Finland became a full member of the European Patent Organisation (EPO)
1997: Finland became a member of OHIM, the EU Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (trademarks and designs)
1997: The Advisory Committee for Enterprise Issues was established
2005: The NBPR became an international searching and examining PCT authority (ISA and IPEA)
2008: Ministry of Employment and the Economy was established; NBPR belongs to its group of agencies
2009: first bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Agreement

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