Privacy statement for the Finnish Patent Register
Controller
Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH)
Mailing address: Finnish Patent and Registration Office, FI-00091 PRH, Finland
Street address: Sörnäisten rantatie 13 C, Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 29 509 5000
Representative of controller
Jorma Lehtonen
jorma.lehtonen(at)prh.fi
Tel. +358 29 509 5904
Data protection officer
tietosuojavastaava(at)prh.fi
Tel. +358 50 413 6500
Purpose of and legal basis for processing personal data
The Finnish Patent Register processes personal data under Article 6.1(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation, i.e. the processing is necessary to comply with the legal obligation of the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH).
The PRH keeps a record of filed patent applications under section 7 of the Finnish Patents Act (550/1967), and a record of filed applications for supplementary protection certificate (SPC) under section 52 g of the Finnish Patents Decree (669/1980).
Under section 52 t of the Patents Decree, the PRH keeps a separate record of European patent applications for which a translation, as referred to in section 70 n of the Patents Act, has been submitted to the PRH.
Under section 49 of the Patents Decree, the PRH keeps a separate record of international patent applications filed with the PRH.
Under section 70 f, subsection 2 of the Patents Act, a European patent application can also be filed with the PRH for forwarding to the European Patent Office.
The PRH keeps the Patent Register of granted patents under section 20 of the Patents Act, and a record of granted supplementary protection certificates under section 52 m of the Patents Decree. The Patent Register contains information on patents granted by the PRH and on European patents with a legal effect in Finland.
The PRH issues a patent specification under section 21 of the Patents Act when granting patent, and publishes an abstract under section 25 of the Patents Decree once the application has become public.
Under section 43 of the Patents Decree, public notices in patent matters are published in the Industrial Property Gazettes service, which is issued by the PRH.
Under section 2 of the Act on the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (578/2013), the PRH processes matters related to patents and provides information services in connection with this duty.
Personal data and categories of data subjects in the register
The data to be entered into the record include the name, domicile and address of the applicant, the name, domicile and address of the representative, and the name and address of the inventor. When a patent application is transferred, the identification details of the assignee and the name and address of the objecting party shall be entered into the record. The name and address of anyone claiming to have a better right to an invention are also entered into the record.
The name and address of the patent holder, supplementary protection certificate holder, inventor, opponent, and the name, domicile and address of the representative, if any, shall be entered into the Patent Register.
When registering a transfer, pledging or licensing of a patent, the name, domicile and address of the right holder shall also be entered into the Patent Register.
For easier communication, the telephone numbers and email addresses of the above persons are also recorded.
Sources of information
The details are entered into the Patent Register and into the record of applications based on patent applications or applications about granted patents and their supplementary details. This information is supplied by the applicants, holders or their representatives and – in the case of an opposition - by the opponent or their representative.
Disclosure of personal data to third parties
Anyone is entitled to obtain information about the entries made in the Patent Register and in the record of applications, as long as the information is public in accordance with sections 7a and 22 of the Patents Act.
Details from the Patent Register and the record can be obtained online via the Patent Information Service on the PRH website or by ordering extracts, certificates and documents, and by telephone enquiry. It is also possible to study documents concerning patents at the PRH in Helsinki, as long as they are public.
Details stored in the Patent Register are regularly disclosed to public databases maintained by the European Patent Organisation (EPO) and to information service companies.
Transfer of personal data to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations
Under section 9 of the Patents Act, details stored in the Patent Register are regularly disclosed to public databases maintained by the European Patent Organisation (EPO).
Personal data connected to duties deriving from the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) are disclosed to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) based on section 28 of the Patents Act, section 46 of the Patens Decree and - as far as priority information is concerned - section 11 of the Patents Decree.
Storage periods of personal data
The storage periods of the registered personal data are based on a filing plan which allows the data to be stored permanently. For inventions of importance to national defence, the personal data are stored in the record for a fixed period of time (storage period of 5 to 20 years).
Right of access to personal data
The data subject has the right to check what personal data about them have been entered into the register, or to find out that there are no such register entries. The data subject can ask the controller for access to their personal data. Read our instructions on how to request access to data.
Right to rectification of data
The data subject has the right to demand that the controller rectify without undue delay any inaccurate or incorrect personal data concerning them. Read our instructions on rectification of data.
Right to restriction of processing
The data subject has the right to demand that the controller restrict the processing of data, if the data subject contests the accuracy of the personal data. The idea is to restrict the processing for a period during which the controller can verify the accuracy of the personal data.
Right to lodge complaint with supervisory authority
If the data subject considers that the processing of their personal data infringes the relevant legislation, the data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority (the Data Protection Ombudsman).