By registering a trademark with the responsible patent and trademark office, the trademark owner receives an absolute property right by virtue of trademark protection. The trademark alone or in combination with the protection of the visual mark, the logo, can develop into an intangible asset which constitutes a significant part of the value of the company. Before the trademark is successfully registered, there are various questions to answer:

  • Can the trademark be sufficiently distinguished from others?
  • Are there obstacles which argue against the registration of the trademark?
  • Do older rights which are an obstacle to successful trademark registration exist?
  • Which form of mark is the right one (word mark, combined word and figurative mark, figurative mark)?
  • How is the list of goods and services to be drawn up?
  • Which goods and services can be confused with one another?
  • Which identifying marks (brands or marks) can be confused with each other?

Further information about registering trademarks

The website of the DPMA German Patent and Trademark Office offers further information about trademark registration in Germany… (https://www.dpma.de/english/trade_marks/index.html)

The website of the European Union Intellectual Property Office offers information on how to apply for and register an EU trademark for Europe… (https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/route-to-registration)

International applications for registration in non-member countries always need the support of a German trademark attorney and a corresponding attorney in the respective country.