Get ready for trade mark changes in Europe

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Get ready for trade mark changes in Europe

Far-reaching changes to the Community trade mark and national trade mark systems will come into effect early next year, after they were approved in a vote in the European Parliament

Yesterday's vote was the final legislative hurdle in the EU trade mark reform package, which has been discussed over many years. The final texts are expected to be published soon, and will come into effect after 90 days, which will probably be in early April.

The package includes changes to the EU Trade Marks Directive, which EU member states will have three years to implement. One of the significant reforms is that national offices will have to offer administrative cancellation proceedings: those that do not already provide these will have up to seven years to introduce them.

The package also includes a revised Trade Mark Regulation, which is the text that governs the CTM. Under the changes, the CTM will be renamed the EU trade mark and OHIM will become the EUIPO.

The changes will see a number of fees reduced, and also enable trade mark owners to seize counterfeit goods in transit through the EU. In addition, they attempt to harmonise practices between national offices in a number of areas.

For more details, see the information published by: INTA, ECTA and MARQUES.

For background, read: EU trade mark reform - the six key changes, published earlier this year.

Managing IP will publish a detailed analysis of the impact of the changes early in 2016.





more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Attorneys explain why there are early signs that the US Supreme Court could rule in favour of ISP Cox in a copyright dispute
A swathe of UPC-related hires suggests firms are taking the forum seriously, as questions over the transitional stage begin
A win for Nintendo in China and King & Spalding hiring a prominent patent litigator were also among the top talking points
Rebecca Newman at Addleshaw Goddard, who live-reported on the seminal dispute, unpicks the trials and tribulations of the case and considers its impact
Attorneys predict how Lululemon’s trade dress and design patent suit against Costco could play out
Lawyers at Linklaters analyse some of the key UPC trends so far, and look ahead to life beyond the transition period
David Rodrigues, who previously worked at an IP boutique, said he may become more involved in transactional work at his new firm
Indian smartphone maker Lava must pay $2.3 million as a security deposit for past sales, as its dispute with Dolby over audio coding SEPs plays out
Powell Gilbert’s opening in Düsseldorf, complete with a new partner hire, continues this summer’s trend of UPC-related lateral movement
IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications
Gift this article