Doing Business Abroad Series - EU

By Sukey Omran

Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

The information in this guide has been provided by the Canadian Department of Industry. Please note that this guide does not constitute legal advice and is merely intended to act as an aid if you are considering global expansion.

Where is IP registered?
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is the agency responsible for registering EU-wide trademarks and designs. The granting of EU patents is administered by the European Patent Office (EPO).

Trademarks

• Filing System:  There are two primary paths to trademark registration: (1) a European Union trademark (EUTM) provides protection in all member states of the Union (2) a national level trademark provides users with protection through the individual IP office of the EU country in which they apply.

• Registration Period: The term of an EUTM is 10 years and may be renewed every 10 years.

• Madrid Protocol: As a member of the Madrid Protocol, the EU can be designated in an international application filed via the Madrid System.

IP Enforcement
Enforcement is administered on a country-by-country basis. Therefore, you must monitor the marketplace for any unauthorized use of your IP. Enforcement of your IP rights is your responsibility.

You may choose to do the following in protecting your IP rights:

• Under the Directive, all EU countries have similar measures available for IP rights holders to defend their IP rights. IP rights can be defended by asking customs to seize goods suspected of infringing any IP. In order to do so, an “application for action” must be filed with the relevant customs department. Depending on your particular rights, the application for action can be national or EU-wide.
  

• Legal proceedings can also be started to enforce your IP rights. Mediation and arbitration, which are generally more informal, less adversarial, cheaper and settlement-focused, can be used as alternatives to going to court.

 
Interested in expanding your trademark protection into the European Union? Contact us today!