Legal protection may be afforded to any invention (utility model) that is not contrary to the public interest, to human and moral principles, and which satisfies the requirements of patentability.
An invention is patentable if it is new, if it involves an inventive step and if it is susceptible of industrial application.
An invention is considered to be new if it does not form part of the state of the art.
The state of the art is held to comprise everything disclosed anywhere in the world before the priority date of the application.
An invention involves an inventive step if, having regard to the state of the art, it is not obvious to a person skilled in the art.
An invention is considered susceptible of industrial application if it can be used in industry or in any other sector of activity.
A utility model is patentable if it is new and susceptible of industrial application.