Trademarks
A trademark is a sign composed of words, shapes, letters, color or a combination thereof, that is used specifically to identify the goods or services of a producer. It allows consumers to distinguish goods or services of one producer from those of another.
A trademark owner enjoys the exclusive right to use the sign in relation to the goods or services covered by the trademark, and may forbid others from using it without permission.
A sign can be registered as a trademark if it is:
- legal, meaning it must not be identical with or similar to the name or flag of a state or international organization;
- not functional, but visually observable;
- easy to distinguish and capable of distinguishing the goods/services of one person from those of another person; and
- available for registration.
Unless it is a well-known registered trademark, a sign cannot be registered as a trademark if:
- It cannot be seen.
- It is exclusively composed of a generic name, design or model describing goods or services.
- It contains exclusively a direct reference to the quality or other features of goods or services.
- It has discriminative content against a nationality or consist of exaggerated or fraudulent advertising.
Contact us if you wish to register a trademark. We are here to help you navigate the application process.