SME Fund 2026 is the kind of opportunity you hear mentioned often, but it’s rarely clearly explained to you: what you need to prepare, where you apply, when you pay, and when your repayment comes in.
If you want to register your trademark or design (with OSIM or EUIPO) and recover a significant part of the fees, this guide shows you the exact steps, in the correct order, with the necessary documents and deadlines to take into account.
- Who can apply for SME Fund 2026?
You can apply:
- micro, small and medium-sized enterprises established in a Member State of the European Union;
- authorized natural persons and other forms of self-employed activity, with proof of carrying out an economic activity;
- through the owner, authorized employee or through an external representative.
In practice, many companies choose the representation option, in order to avoid administrative errors and waste of time. The CAS Agency can fully manage the process, from the verification of eligibility and the preparation of the documents, to the submission of the application, the activation of the voucher, the registration of the trademark/design and the request for reimbursement.
What does SME mean?
According to the European definition:
- Micro-enterprise: less than 10 employees and turnover ≤ €2 million
- Small enterprise: less than 50 employees and turnover ≤ €10 million
- Medium-sized enterprise: less than 250 employees and turnover ≤ €50 million
The program is open between February 2, 2026 and December 4, 2026, but funds are limited and may be exhausted before the deadline.
- What does the SME Fund 2026 finance?
For most entrepreneurs, the most useful is the Stamp and Design Voucher, with a cap of up to €700. It essentially grants a 75% refund of the fees for the registration of trademarks and/or designs with OSIM (national) or EUIPO (EU). In certain situations, there is also a 50% refund for fees related to international registrations (outside the EU).
Full details about all vouchers from 2026 (IP Scan, patents, etc.) can be found here.
Concrete example: how much you pay and how much you recover (brand, 1 class)
OSIM – brand (color logo), 1 class
OSIM fee: 1,676 lei → 75% reimbursement: 1,257 lei
EUIPO – trade mark, 1st class
EUIPO fee: €850 → 75% refund: €637
- What do you send us so that we can submit the application (SME Fund 2026) on your behalf
In the representation version, the procedure is simple for the entrepreneur: you send us the documents, and we take care of the technical and administrative steps. In order to submit the application correctly and without delays, we need the following:
- The company’s registration certificate (with the CUI), so that the data entered in the application are identical to those in the official document;
- Bank statement of the company, clearly showing the account holder and the necessary data (full IBAN with country code and BIC/SWIFT);
- Identity card of the administrator / legal representative (the person authorized to sign on behalf of the company);
- Declaration of Honour – mandatory document when the application is made through an external representative. We prepare it in the required format and indicate exactly who must sign it on behalf of the company.
- Step-by-step procedure
Step 1 – You send us the documents, and we check them
After we receive the documents, we quickly check the aspects that, as a rule, create problems in the applications: the matching of the company name, the correctness of the IBAN, the consistency of the data and the form of the documents. If there is a need for additions, we tell you exactly what is missing.
Step 2 – We submit the SME Fund application on behalf of the company
Once the documents are in order, we submit the financing application electronically and manage the related procedural correspondence. For the entrepreneur, this stage mainly means punctual confirmations when signatures or clarifications are required.
Step 3 – You receive the decision and the voucher
After the approval of the application, the decision to grant the voucher is issued and the voucher is allocated. Typically, this can take up to 15 business days. The calendar part is also important here: the voucher must be activated within the deadline, and we follow the deadlines so that it is not lost due to expiration.
Step 4 – We submit the trademark/design to OSIM or EUIPO and pay the fees
Once the voucher is granted, we move on to the actual protection stage: filing the trademark and/or design application, depending on the option chosen (OSIM or EUIPO). The fees are paid, and then we move on to the refund stage.
Step 5 – We request the refund and follow up on the transfer of the amounts
After paying the eligible fees, we submit the refund request to the platform. The refund is transferred by the EUIPO directly to the company’s account, and the indicated deadline is usually around 1 month from the request.
- Can I apply if I have already benefited from the SME Fund in previous years?
Yes. The program operates annually and is independent of previous editions.
An SME can also apply in 2026 even if it received funding in 2025 or earlier.
- Why is it important not to procrastinate?
SME Fund 2026 operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Although the official application period runs until December, in previous years some vouchers were exhausted before the deadline, which automatically closed the possibility of depositing for the rest of the year.
At the same time, the registration of a trademark is not just an administrative process, but a decision with a direct impact on the stability and development of the business. A protected trademark strengthens the brand’s position in the market, increases the value of the company, facilitates expansion into other markets and is an essential element in discussions with investors or business partners.
For assistance, representation and/or advice on accessing the SME Fund 2026 and registering a trademark with OSIM or EUIPO, the TAS Agency is at your disposal at the following contact details:
📧 Email: office@agentiatas.ro
📞 Phone: 0745 160 163
