United Kingdom

Trademark registration United Kingdom - The UK is a member of the Madrid Protocol and the European Union. A registration provides protection for the trademark in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and automatically extends to the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Falkland Islands, and the Isle of Man. On the Bahamas, subject to local prior rights, the owner of a UK trade mark is entitled to registration upon production of a UK registration certificate. Trade mark protection is available in the following countries through extension of an existing UK mark: Cayman Islands, Gambia, Grenada, Jersey, Kiribati, Saint Helena, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. In addition to local registration, it is also possible to apply for registration based on a UK trade mark in the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Dominica, Fiji, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Guyana, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, Virgin Islands and Western Samoa. Trademark protection is obtained by registration. It can also be acquired by sufficient public recognition.

Requirements

A trademark application has to be filed before the UK Intellectual Property Office. A postal address within the UK is required . Foreign applicants do not need a domestic registration.

Procedure

The application process includes an examination on absolute grounds and a search for prior trademarks. It takes approximately 6-9 months from first filing to registration. Before registration, the application is published in the weekly “Trademarks Journal” for opposition purposes. The deadline for filing an opposition period is 2 months minus 1 day from publication of trademark application in the Trade Marks Journal.

Duration

A trademark registration in the United Kingdom is valid for 10 years and starts with registration date. The registration is renewable for periods of 10 years.

Methods

NATIONAL REGISTRATION: If you just want to register your Trademark in one country, it is sufficient to apply for a national registration at the local trademark office.

EUROPEAN UNION (COMMUNITY TRADEMARK): Since this country is a member of the European Union, Trademark Protection could be obtained by registration of a Community Trademark (CTM), which is valid for a period of 10 years in all countries of the European Union.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION (MADRID SYSTEM)*: If you already have filed a trademark application or have a trademark registration in one or more countries of the Madrid Union (based on the Madrid Agreement and Madrid Protocol), you can obtain trademark protection by filing one single application, so called International Registration (Madrid System).

*Note: The fees for an International Trademark Application (WIPO) will be calculated for each individual country or multiple countries. For a quotation please send us an e-mail with the name of countries where you currently have a registration and all preferable countries where you wish to extend your trademark protection.

Extra

Duly note, if the trademark has not been used within 5 years from issue of the registration certificate or has not been used later for a continuous period of 5 years, it may be subject to cancellation.