The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) is the executive body of the Benelux Organisation for Intellectual Property. This is an international organisation with a national and international legal personality, with its registered office in The Hague (Netherlands), Bordewijklaan 15.
1. The processing of personal data by BOIP
BOIP only processes personal data in accordance with legal requirements relating to the following activities:
- The execution of the Benelux Convention on IP and its Implementing Regulations.
- Maintaining and managing the register of trademarks and designs.
- Maintaining and managing a database for i-Depots (i-D Space)
- Maintaining and managing the register of trademarks for the Carribean Netherlands (CaribIE)
- Management of the My BOIP Account user environment.
- Providing information about (new) products and services, developments regarding i-Depots and trademark and design law, and the promotion of the protection of trademarks and designs in the Benelux.
2. Security
BOIP has taken appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss or any form of unlawful appropriation or processing. We have also implemented safeguards to prevent fraudulent use of personal data. You can read more about misleading invoices here and about data security here.
3. What data we collect
Following a request for registration of a trademark, design or i-Depot, BOIP processes the following data:
- Name and salutation
- Street address
- Postal code
- Place of residence
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Bank account for payment
We also process names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers provided by clients, for the handling of communication and actions, only within the framework of the clients' request.
4. Which data is shown in the public register?
Name, street address, postal code and place of residence are shown in the public registers for trademarks and designs. By law, these registers must be publicly accessible. These registers are open for consultation worldwide at no cost.
Street addresses and postal codes for Benelux trademarks are placed behind a login. This information is only shown to registered users of BOIP services.
Any change to a trademark will continue to be shown in full in the register for three months after implementation, also if this concerns a change of address.
5. How do we process the data?
BOIP processes personal data in the following situations:
- Displaying information regarding trademarks and designs in the public registers.
- Correspondence with representatives and owners of trademarks, designs and i-Depots regarding applications, registrations, modifications, renewals and opposition and cancellation proceedings.
- Providing customer services through the Information Centre by telephone, chat and email.
- Sending newsletters and messages with information regarding the application and registration of trademarks, designs, i-Depots, changes in legislation, webinars and the organisation of events.
- Organisation of events and webinar.
- Registration of visitors.
6. Data shared with third parties
Only in restricted situations, BOIP provides personal data that is shown in the public registry to third parties in an accessible format to research needs of owners of trademarks and designs.
This is only for the purpose of improving the services provided by BOIP, to promote intellectual property rights and prevent infringement of intellectual property rights.
This information is only shared with a limited group of recipients, such as ministries, universities and specific trademark offices. BOIP ensures that in all cases contractual safeguards are in place that consider the legal requirements arising from the relevant data protection regulations.
7. Website and cookies
For more information regarding the use of personal data and cookies on our website we refer to our Cookie Policy.
8. Time period of storage
According to legislation, BOIP must not process the data longer than what is necessary for the execution of the activities mentioned under paragraph 1 above.
Seen BOIP’s legal mission, data necessary for the registration of trademarks and designs will not be deleted as this would harm the validity and historical relevance of information about these rights.
BOIP has various processes in place for deleting data that is no longer needed, such as inactive My BOIP accounts, as well as an opt-out on mailings.
9. What are your rights?
If BOIP processes your personal data, you have the right to request access to this data and, if the data is incorrect or incomplete, the right to have the data corrected or completed. You can also request BOIP to delete your personal data, considering the legislation applicable and the reservations above. If you have a My BOIP Account, you may adapt your personal data yourself.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. In the Netherlands, the independent regulator is the ‘Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens’.
For any questions regarding this policy, please contact our organisation by emailing our Data Protection Officer at dpo@boip.int.
BOIP as a data processor
BOIP is the processor of personal data or provides IT-systems to process personal data with regard to the following:
BIP SXM
BOIP cooperates with the Bureau for Intellectual Property of Sint Maarten (hereafter: BIP SXM). BOIP hereby acts as a data processor on behalf of BIP SXM in support of the public tasks incumbent upon BIP SXM, like the administrative processing of trademark applications and the maintenance of a public trademark register.
Benelux Patent Platform (BPP)
BOIP is the legal owner of the software supporting the Benelux Patent Platform (BPP). This platform concerns a shared IT-patent platform which covers the main patent related processes for the National Offices of Intellectual Property of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. The BPP is used by these National Offices in order to execute the national laws governing patents. BOIP does not process personal data with regard to the BPP and also has no access to any data that is being processed through the BPP. If you have any questions with regard to the processing of personal data through the BPP, we refer you to the following government websites: