12.2.1 Spanish Patent and Trademark Office The SPTO is responsible for the administration of industrial property. This includes administrative activities relating to recognition and registration of protection for the various forms of industrial property (with the exception of plant varieties); processing and decision-making for applications and related procedures (granting, limiting and invalidating industrial property titles, among others); record-keeping and publicity. The SPTO is an autonomous agency attached to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism with its own legal personality and capacity to operate in pursuance of its mandate.