11. Glossary

Soleau envelope

The Soleau envelope is an INPI product which, without creating intellectual property rights, enables you to date your content (which may be an innovation, an artistic creation or relate to the appearance of a good) with certainty, at a very low cost, and thus to assert this anteriority in the event of litigation protecting you from a conviction. However, it cannot be used to claim any kind of monopoly.

A Soleau envelope can contain a maximum of 7 A4 sheets. Two copies are filled in and sent to INPI, which registers and laser-punches them. INPI keeps one copy for 5 years, and returns one copy to the sender. It is possible to apply for a further 5-year period of safekeeping. Since 2016, and in order to simplify procedures, INPI has made available to its users the e-Soleau service, a dematerialized version of the Soleau envelope...