About CTM trademarks - trademarks ctm
By registering a CTM trademark, you can obtain a registered Community trade mark. A registered CTM covers a very large territory, namely all the member states of the EU. This covers a population of around 500 million people.
EU-wide registered trademarks - CTMs
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"... very capable ..."
T. McCullagh, Managing Director, Southside People
When a European trademark is registered as a community trade mark, or "CTM", it is registered such that the CTM covers every member state in the EU (i.e. covering the European Union). An organization or sole-trader can apply to register a logo in one CTM application for the European Union as a whole. A registered CTM now covers the 27 member states of the European Union, with an aggregate population of 495 million. An EU-wide CTM may be appropriate for the following: -
- For organizations, traders and businesses that are seeking to protect their logos throughout the European Union,
- For organizations that deal in more than one country, and use their trademarks in more than one country,
- For an organization whose reputation crosses a border of a member state of the EU,
- For brands, logos and trademarks to be registered in the European Union,
- For brands, logos and trademarks already registered in Ireland or UK,
- For registration of a trademark in the European Union, as a CTM,
- For businesses making international applications for registering trademarks in other countries based on an Irish trademark or a UK trademark.
European registered trademarks - CTM holds similar rights to national registered trademarks
The European Union trademarks system to register CTM trademarks, has very similar rights to a trademark registered in Ireland. However, the CTM registration only needs to be used in one member state of the European Union to meet the requirements for validity throughout the European Union as a whole, to be a valid CTM. This extends the reach of trademark territorial protection via CTM trademark registration.
From a registered trademarks point of view, it is like owning a property covering 500 million people, and 27 countries.
European trademarks advantages, CTMs (European trademarks)
The main advantages of a CTM trademark registration include the following: -
- One CTM trademark registration covers 27 countries,
- A CTM trademark registration covers almost 500 million people,
- Costs are less than applying to register trademarks in every country in the European Union,
- The CTM registered trademark can block applications to register national trademarks, whereas national trademarks automatically do not block registration of CTMs, unless they monitor CTM's and oppose registration successfully.
- Holders of registered CTM trademarks are notified of new CTM applications if there is an application to register a similar trademark for similar goods/services. This does not tend to happen in the case of nationally registered trademarks.
A registered CTM covers 27 countries
A community trade mark covers all member states of the European Union. The countries currently covered by a registered CTM include:-
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom.
The 27 countries have a total population of 495 million. The costs of a registered CTM are much lower than applying to register a trademark in each country separately.
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Unitary nature of community trade marks, CTMs (European trademarks)
A CTM trademark (community trade mark) registration has what is known as a unitary character once it is registered. The CTM (community trademark) registration applies throughout the whole territory of the European Union.
However, having a unitary character, if a CTM trademark registration is opposed or invalidated successfully in one member state, then it cannot continue to exist as a European registered trademark, covering all of the European Union.
Other countries for international trademarks - Madrid Protocol
For a list of the countries that are parties to the Madrid Protocol on trademark registration visit the international trademarks registration page.
If you apply for registration of a trademark in some of the countries separately, they may have particular trademark registration requirements that must be met. For example, some countries may require an address for service, and others may require a declaration of intention to use the trademark.
The CTM as a single registration is one of the ways around this, and would cost a lot less than separate trademark applications to register trademarks in each of the member states. For costs of a CTM trademark registration in the European Union, visit the trademark costs page.
More Battle trademark services
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Battle advises organizations, solicitors, and accountants' clients on a range of matters concerning trademarks. Click here to see more Battle services for trademarks for our range of other business name services.