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European Union Trademark Registration

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EUROPEAN UNION (EU) TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

Assistance with European Union EU Trademark Registration at EUIPO - KTpatent.com

Our dedicated team of qualified European Trademark Attorneys with substantial background in the trademark domain assists with the registration of European Union (EU) trademarks

for companies and individuals contemplating expanding their business across the European Union and at the same time keeping their brand awareness.

Not only do our trademark services spread locally, but also across the European Union. We are Qualified European Trademark Attorneys and thus capable of conducting filing and prosecution of applications for registering European Union (EU) Trademarks before the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

 

The whole process for obtaining a registered European Union (EU) Trademark takes between 4-6 months (if no opposition is filed) and may contain many pitfalls. Thus, our expertise is here to help you obtaining legally binding protection of your brand in one-go, avoiding any obstacles and without imposing additional costs.

 

We are familiar with the detailed procedure for EU trademark registration and are skilled in conducting preliminary trademark searches for collision with earlier trademarks that have effect in all EU countries. Hence, our clients save time and money, as we ensure that their EU trademark applications are prepared and filed in the appropriate trademark class(es) and avoid refusal on absolute or relative grounds with a great certainty. We additionally develop an appropriate strategy regarding the form of the trademark and how broadly or narrowly to describe the relevant goods or services and to represent the sign.

 

A filed or already registered European Union (EU) Trademark might serve as a basic trademark for enterprises that demand widening their territorial business interests and scope of protection outside the EU. Such territorial expansion we handle by filing applications for International Trademark Registration.

 

In addition to the prosecution of the application for European trademark applications with EUIPO, we also deal with problems which will arise in various circumstances in the course of EU trademark registration

Such objections might be raised by the examiner or EU trademark oppositions filed by third parties. It might as well happen that such objections have been raised against International Trademark designating the European Union.

 

In another scenario and due to its unitary character the European Union (EU) Trademark application may be refused by EUIPO with effect in all countries only and need to be converted into separate national applications for Trademark Registrations in order to get protection in the countries of interest where there is no conflict with earlier rights. In such cases we can convert the EU TM application into application for Bulgarian Trademark Registration and prosecute it individually before BPO. Thankfully, to our globally acquired relationship with well-recognized Trademark Agencies in all European jurisdictions, we are able to provide our clients with a qualified, cost-effective, transparent and  simplified procedure of prosecuting their trademarks on a European national level in case of such refusal of the main EU trademark application.

 

Our EU trademark services encompass also maintenance (trademark renewals), trademark monitoring, trademark enforcement and licensing of the obtained EU Trademarks after registration. Additionally, an intensive trademark management in close collaboration with our clients is also conducted, in order to keep their registered EU trademarks from turning into generic names and/or becoming diluted by improper use.

 

Our identification with the requirements of our clients reveals itself in detail, showing our trademark competence and individuality derived from our personality and dedication.

Our process of registering a European Union (EU) Trademark:

* REMARKS: 1) This is an approximate time scale; 2) Attorney fees are not included and all official fees are tentative

Getting acquainted with your business goals

0 WEEKS

Getting acquainted with your territorial goals, budget, products or services that you offer and your trademarks/signs/brands ideas and concepts.

Initial assessment of the sign

0 WEEKS

Initial assessment of the trademark signs per se and providing objective legal opinion on its registrability. In case your trademark is not considered to be a trademark, we provide you with recommendations as to how to convert your sign or brand into a “trademark” and perform the function of a trademark.

Preliminary Trademark Search

2-10 BUSINESS DAYS

For signs that perform the function of a trademark, we conduct free of charge trademark searches for collision with identical or confusingly similar earlier trademark rights with effect in all countries of the European Union. The duration of the search could be different depending on the signs, list of goods and services in question, etc.

Analysing the results from the preliminary search

5-10 BUSINESS DAYS

We strive to provide as objective as possible legal opinion on trademark’s chances for registration success based on the results, which are never 100% exhaustive.We are transparent and strive to “open your eyes” by not hiding the problematic results. On the contrary, we are objective with the negative results (if any) and provide you with our advice and recommendations for designing around the possible collisions. Otherwise, your registered TM might turn out to be a wrong investment and possibly detrimental for your business in the long run.

Filing an application for European Union Trademark Registration

2-10 BUSINESS DAYS FROM STEP 1 / FILING DATE ACCORDED

After receiving a “green light” from the trademark search and our client, we meticulously prepare a legally strong application for protection of your trademark and coordinate it with you for a final approval. Upon acknowledgement of the final approval, we proceed further with filing and prosecution of the EU trademark application with EUIPO. The Official fees due at the filing stage are also paid, which amount to 850 EUR and cover 1 class of goods and/or services. A surcharge of 50 EUR is also levied for the 2nd class, and 150 EUR for each subsequent class in excess of 2.

Publication of the EU Trademark Application and start of 3 months Opposition period

1.5 - 2 MONTHS FROM THE FILING DATE

Publication of your European trademark application in the official Bulletin of the EUIPO and waiting a strictly fixed 3 months term (the so-called opposition period) providing opportunity to the third parties for filing objections and/or oppositions against your trademark based on absolute and/or relative grounds.

End of the Opposition Period

5 MONTHS FROM THE FILING DATE

The Opposition period terminates 3 months after the publication of the EU trademark application and if no oppositions have been lodged against the EU TM application in question, the European Trademark Application is considered allowable and ready for registration. It must be highlighted that the herewith indicated period for opposition as above is in the case of a smooth and straightforward TM registration procedure, in particular in the case where the no opposition or objections by third parties have been filed against the processed trademark. In case of objections or filed oppositions, the period for registration depends on each case independently, and can even last about 1-2 years.

Registration of your EU trademark

6- 8 MONTHS FROM THE FILING DATE

After the opposition period has lapsed and provided no oppositions or objections have been lodged against your EU TM application, we then register your European Union Trademark. The registered European trademark is then published in the official bulletin of EUIPO. The electronically issued certificate for registration of a EU trademark is forwarded to the client together with our TM reports on registration. The prosecution process is closed and your TM is duly recorded in our database system for monitoring its term of protection. The term of protection of the registered European trademark is 10 years as of the filing date.

European Trademark Monitoring and Enforcement

WITHIN 10 YEARS

The trademark right is a vulnerable right. This is because trademarks are always in danger of turning into the generic name of an article or of being diluted if not properly used or if another similar TM registration impairs its distinctiveness and reputation. We keep watch on the use of our client's registered EU trademarks and prevent them from being improperly used. In case such improper use is detected, an appropriate action is immediately taken. If client desires, we can also provide him with our TM service of monitoring the TM registers for competitors' confusingly similar TM filings and lodging respective oppositions against them in due course.

EU Trademark Renewal

EVERY 10 YEARS

Upon completion of your EU TM registration (step 8), your TM details are entered in our files and we subsequently send you timely reminders for the trademark renewal – in due time before the 10 year period of protection of your registered EU trademark. The registration may be renewed indefinitely for consecutive periods of 10 years. The official fee costs for European Union Trademark Renewal amount to 850 EUR and cover only 1 class of goods and/or services. A surcharge of 50 EUR is also levied for the 2nd class, and 150 EUR for each subsequent class in excess of 2

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