Trade marks
Your trade mark tells customers who you are
Apply for your trade mark fast and easy
Trade mark journey
You have just applied for a trade mark. What happens next?
Examination period
When you have filed your European Union trade mark application, we will process it to check that it can first be published and later, if nothing prevents it, registered.
Opposition period
When your trade mark application is published, the 3‑month opposition period starts. This means that anyone who has an earlier right that they believe conflicts with your trade mark application can object to it being registered.
Registration
If your application is published and nobody files an opposition (or the opposition is rejected), your trade mark will be registered and the registration will be published. This is done so that other trade mark owners and the public in general are aware that this particular trade mark is registered and that it is yours.
Appeal
If your trade mark application is rejected, you can file an appeal. You must file your notice of appeal within 2 months of the date of the rejection decision. Your appeal must include a statement of the grounds on which you base your appeal. If you’re not quite ready to submit the statement of grounds with the appeal notice, don’t worry. You have up to 4 months after the rejection decision to file the statement.