A utility certificate, also known as a short patent, is governed by the same standards as patents but offers limited protection for six years in France from the filing date. It is particularly well-suited to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to secure minor adjustments or improvements to products already on the market. Unlike a patent application, which can be converted into a utility certificate, a utility certificate application cannot lead to the granting of a patent. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) highlights the main distinctions between the two: the criteria for obtaining a utility model are less stringent than for patents. While novelty is a requirement, the inventive step or lack of obviousness requirements may be less stringent, or even nonexistent. In practice, utility models are often used for complementary innovations that do not necessarily meet the patentability criteria. The term of protection for a utility model is shorter than that of a patent, generally ranging from 7 to 10 years depending on the country, with no possibility of extension or renewal. In most countries granting utility model protection, applications are not thoroughly examined before registration, making the procedure simpler and faster, usually completed in an average of six months. Utility models are less expensive to obtain and maintain. In some countries, utility model protection is limited to certain technical fields and to products only, excluding processes.