Trademark Registration
When you start a new company you should always consider registering a trade mark. Trademark registration can include logos, company names, words and phases etc. It will help you to protect your business from competitors trading under your trade mark and enable you to take legal actions against them. You can still turn to common low to prevent such actions but it is always more complicated and expensive.
The are several advantages of using a registered trademark for your business over simply relying on common law trademark or unregistered rights:
Advantages of using a Registered Trademark
-
Helps to build recognition and brand of your business
- Greater protection- ensured legal exclusivity
- Long term registration – up to 10 years
- Deters and prevents others from exploiting your trade mark
- Value capture – increases the value of your brand to potential purchaser
- Protection from infringement claims from other companies
- Nationwide or, if requested, overseas protection
A Community trade mark (CTM) valid across the European Union, registered with OHIM in accordance with the provisions of the CTM Regulations. A CTM is valid in the European Union as a whole:
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.
Madrid System for the International Registration of Trade Marks. Madrid Protocol Trademark. It is administered by the International Bureau of WIPO located in Geneva, Switzerland. The possibility to have a trademark protected in several countries:
Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, European Community, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, and Zambia.
