... we apply to register community trademarks covering the EU
Trademarks Europe - CTM - European Union trademark registration
Register trademark throughout European Union (in one trademark application), at attractive trademark rates. Covering population of 495 million.
When a European trademark is registered as a community trade mark,called a CTM, it is registered such that it covers every member state in the EU (i.e. covering the European Union). A trader can apply to register his brand, name, or logo in one trademark application for the European Union as a whole. A registered community trade mark - CTM now covers the 27 member states of the European Union, with an aggregate population of 495 million. As trademark agents, we can apply to register a community trademark, on your behalf, for the following:
• For traders and businesses that are seeking to protect their brands, names or logos throughout the European Union,
• For brands, logos and trademarks to be registered in the European Union,
• For brands, logos and trademarks already registered in Ireland,
• For registration of a trademark in the European Union, as a Community Trademark (CTM),
• For businesses making international applications for registering trademarks in other countries based on an Irish application.
The European Union trademarks system to register trademarks, has very similar rights to a trademark registered in Ireland. However, the community trademark 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 CTM. This extends the reach of trademark territorial protection via community trademark registration.
European trademarks advantages, CTMs European Trademarks)
The main advantages of a European trademark registration include the following: -
• One trademark registration covers 27 countries,
• A European trademark registration covers almost 500 million people,
• Costs are less than applying to register trademarks in every country in the European Union,
• The European trademark can block applications to register national trademarks, whereas national trademarks automatically do not block registration of European Trademarks (CTMs), unless they monitor CTM's and oppose registration successfully.
• Holders of registered European 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.
Unitary nature of community trade marks, CTMs European Trademarks
A European trademark (community trade mark) registration or CTM has what is known as a unitary character once it is registered. The European trademark (community trademark) registration applies throughout the whole territory of the European Union.
However, having a unitary character, if a European 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.
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Since late 2004, foreign trademark owners can apply to register a European trademark in the European Union, following the European Union's agreement to be a party to the Madrid Protocol on trademark registration, assuming their country of origin is also a party to the Madrid Protocol. This may have certain attractions by comparison with a direct community trade mark application, under which a trademark may be refused community trademark registration if it is successfully opposed in any one of the member states of the European Union. It can be useful to base an international trademark application for registration on an Irish filing, because you can extend the territories for which you intend to use the trademark (if not at the time of application, then subsequently - assuming no other similar trademarks have been registered in the meantime - by designating other additional countries for registration of the trademark) - always assuming the trademark is not registered in the selected territory, prior to the trademark application there. 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, the UK requires an address for service, which we can provide, and others may require a declaration of intention to use the trademark. The Community trade mark 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 European trademark registration in the European Union, visit the trademark costs page.
... registered trademarks
Once you get your trademark registered, you can use it forever. However, you must use it in trade on a regular basis. The trademark registration can be renewed every 10 years.