Consultation on trade marks in Europe
Around 400 European companies including a large number of SMEs have taken part in a European consultation on trade marks. The consultation, by the European Business Test Panel (EBTP) comes at a time when the European Commission is proposing a 40% cut in the cost of the Community trade mark, which is expected to be implemented in mid-2009.

This kind of consultation is designed to allow the European Commission to obtain direct feedback from businesses on Commission legislative proposals or initiatives likely to have an impact on businesses.

Introducing the consultation, the EBTP said: “Trade marks are an indicator of business origin, which distinguishes the products and services of one company from those of another. In 1989, the European Community harmonised national trade mark laws, and in 1994 it created the Community trade mark. Click for full text