07 | 07 | 2026

The first legal regulation of patent protection on the territory of present-day Croatia in 1895

The tradition of protecting inventions on the territory of today's Croatia, thanks to its involvement in common state communities with economically more advanced countries, geographically and culturally closer to the main centres of political, economic and social life at the time, largely follows the European tradition of protecting inventions.

Europe is the cradle of the patent system, and it is believed that the Venetian Code (decree) of 1474 introduced the first legal regulation of protecting inventions through privileges or patents. It introduced and proclaimed, in contrast to individual privileges, a general rule of granting privileges for the protection of new inventions, and the preamble of the decree emphasises the social benefit of granting such privileges. According to this Code, new and inventive devices (inventions) had to be registered with the Venetian Republic in order to obtain legal protection against possible imitators, and the protection lasted for 10 years.

Until the 17th century, inventions in Europe were mainly protected through imperial or royal privileges or decrees, and the establishment of a legal system for the protection of inventions began mainly in the 18th and 19th century.

The historical development of the Austrian system of protection of inventions, as a broader framework within which the Croatian patent system also developed, began in 1794, when the first privileges for inventions were introduced. Later developments in 1810 saw the introduction of the Imperial Austrian Court Decree, which provided for ten-year privileges for inventions. A stricter formal regulation of the protection of inventions was introduced by the Imperial Patent of 1820, and the duration of the privileges was extended to 15 years. Further development of the system of privileges for inventions was regulated by the Imperial Patent of 1832 and 1852.

The first legal regulation of patent protection on the territory of today's Croatia was introduced by Law Article XXXVII.:1895. on Privileges for Inventions (Zakonski članak XXXVII.:1895. o povlasticah na izume) confirmed on July 7, 1895 in the joint Croatian-Hungarian state parliament, which was valid on the territory of the then Croatia and Slavonia, while in the Austrian part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the first patent law was passed in 1897, which was valid on the territory of the then Dalmatia.

As provided by the Law Article XXXVII.:1895. on Privileges for Inventions (Zakonski članak XXXVII.:1895. o povlasticah na izume), a patent (then called a "privilege") was granted for a period of 15 years, in the privileged (patent) office in Budapest, which consisted of permanent and temporary members, judges and technical staff. Information on approved patents was published in the official gazette, Povlastnični viestnik, while infringement of patent rights was sanctioned with a fine. Today, the Republic of Croatia has a developed and modern national legislative framework for patent protection, harmonised and integrated into the European and international system, and continuing its long-standing tradition, it is further developing it in accordance with the best global practice and the needs of Croatian society.

You can read more about the history and tradition of the development of the patent protection system for inventions and the development of the patent system in Croatia here.

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