Increase in the official fees in Russia

Starting from 9 September 2024, there will be a significant increase in official court fees in Russia.  This increase will affect various types of legal procedures. The most substantial increases will be for lawsuits involving high property claims, with the fees rising by 5 to 50 times compared to the current rates.

The Supreme Court of Russia has fully supported this initiative, citing that the fees have remained unchanged for the past 15 years. The increase is intended to reflect current economic realities and the growing costs of judicial processes.

Here are some examples of the new fee structure compared to the previous rates:

Appealing a decision of the Patent Office at the IP Court

Current fee: 3,000 RUB

New fee: 50,000 RUB (about EUR 520)

Non-property claim in court (eg, banning the use of a domain)

Current fee: 6,000 RUB

New fee: 50,000 RUB (about EUR 520)

Property claim in court (depending on the amount of the claim)

Current fee: 2,000 to 200,000 RUB

New fee: 10,000 to 10,000,000 RUB (about EUR 105 – 104000)

Appeal of a decision of the Court of First Instance

Current fee: 3,000 RUB

New fee: 30,000 RUB (about EUR 320)

The increased fees correspond on average to the official fees in the region and equally concerns domestic and foreign applicants.

In July 2024, the Russian Patent Office (Rospatent) announced a possible increase in official fees by 10 – 15%. Additionally, they proposed reducing the current 30% discount on electronic filings, which has been a significant cost-saving measure for applicants. However, these changes have not yet been implemented, as the corresponding legal amendments have not been signed into law.

Given the potential impact of these changes on intellectual property filings and associated costs, we are closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available.