Trademark registration in the European Union (EUTM)
One EUIPO application can protect a product brand in all EU Member States. It can also fail in all of them at once, which is why the search before filing matters more here than almost anywhere else.
How EU trademark registration works for a product brand
Trademark registration in the European Union is done with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante. One online application, filed in one or more Nice classes, gives an EU trade mark (EUTM) valid in every Member State for 10 years and renewable indefinitely. The official online fee is €850 for the first class, €50 for the second and €150 for each further class. EUIPO checks formalities and whether the mark is distinctive, then publishes it, and owners of earlier rights have three months to oppose.
The EUTM is unitary: it stands or falls for the whole territory. A conflicting earlier mark in one country, even one with a small market, can be the basis of an opposition against the entire application. EUIPO does not refuse an application because of earlier marks on its own initiative, so conflicts surface only when their owners act.
EU mark, national marks or Madrid
For one or two countries, national filings may be enough; EU-wide distribution usually needs the EUTM. A non-EU company can also designate the EU through the Madrid System. Compare all routes in our country table.
Treat this page as general information as of November 2026. Filings for our clients are prepared and made by a licensed European trademark attorney, in the client’s company name. See also the product rules for the EU market.
EUTM registration at a glance
Figures are taken from EUIPO pages checked on 3 November 2026. Fees change, so confirm them on the EUIPO fee calculator before filing.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office | European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Alicante, Spain |
| Who can file | Anyone can file. An applicant without a domicile, principal place of business or real establishment in the EEA must appoint an EEA professional representative for proceedings after filing; renewal and the filing itself are exceptions |
| Application | Online e-filing; the basic fee must be paid within one month of filing, and examination starts only after payment |
| Classes | Nice Classification; one application can cover several classes |
| Official fees | €850 for one class, €50 for the second, €150 for each class from the third (online) |
| Examination | Classification and formalities, then absolute grounds: whether the mark is distinctive and not descriptive for the goods. No refusal for earlier marks unless their owner opposes |
| Publication and opposition | Published in the EU Trade Marks Bulletin; three months for oppositions. Opposition fee €320. A two-month cooling-off period can be extended up to 24 months in total |
| Typical timing | Registration cannot happen before the opposition period ends; an opposed application can take years |
| Validity and renewal | 10 years, renewable for further 10-year periods. Renewal is due in the six months before expiry, with a six-month grace period at a surcharge |
| Use requirement | After five years from registration, the mark can be revoked for goods on which it has not been genuinely used |
General information, not legal advice. A licensed trademark attorney confirms the fees, the goods list and the risks for your mark.
The filing sequence
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1
Search EU and national registers
Identical and similar marks in all Member States, in the classes you need.
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2
Write the goods list
Use terms from the harmonised database where possible. Cover what you will sell in the next five years.
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3
File and pay
The attorney files online in your company’s name. Priority from an earlier first filing can be claimed within six months.
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4
Examination
If EUIPO objects on distinctiveness or wording, the attorney responds within the deadline set.
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5
Publication and opposition
Three months for third parties. If an opposition arrives, the cooling-off period gives room to negotiate a coexistence agreement.
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6
Registration and diary
Record the renewal date and the five-year use date; keep evidence of sales under the mark in several countries.
What to prepare
Most of this comes out of the <a href="/services/brand-naming/">naming</a> and identity work.
- Exact legal name and address of the company that will own the brand
- The mark as filed: plain word, or the final logo file if you file a figurative mark
- Product list per class, written as goods rather than marketing names
- Search report with the attorney’s view on conflicts
- Details of any earlier filing whose priority you want to claim
- Representative’s authorisation, if your company is outside the EEA
Where EU filings go wrong
Searching only the EU register
National marks in any Member State can block the EUTM. The search must include them.
Ignoring other languages
A name that describes the product in German, Polish or Spanish can be refused for lack of distinctiveness.
Filing the logo before it is final
A figurative mark protects that exact design. File the word mark first if the logo may still change.
Owner in the wrong name
Filing in a founder’s or distributor’s name creates a transfer problem when investors or buyers arrive.
No use after five years
Unused goods become open to revocation, often raised by an opponent as a defence.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a trademark in the EU?
The official EUIPO online fee is €850 for one class, €50 for the second class and €150 for each class from the third, as of November 2026. Attorney fees for the search, filing and any opposition come on top and vary by firm.
How long does EU trademark registration take?
A clean application registers only after examination, publication and the three-month opposition period have all passed. If someone opposes, the case can last much longer, including a cooling-off period of up to 24 months.
Does an EU trademark cover the UK?
No. Since Brexit an EU trade mark does not protect the brand in the United Kingdom. The UK needs its own filing; see our UK guide.
Can a non-EU company register an EU trademark?
Yes. Anyone can file, but a company with no domicile, place of business or real establishment in the EEA must be represented by an EEA professional representative in proceedings after filing.
Is an EU trade mark better than national trademarks?
It is usually cheaper and simpler if you sell in several Member States. For one or two countries, or with a known conflict in some Member State, national filings can be safer.
Have a product idea? Check it before you buy stock.
Send a short brief. We tell you what we think, including when we think you should not do it.
Tell us about your brand
A few lines are enough: what you want to sell, where and to whom. We reply with an honest view of feasibility, the stages you need and the next step.
- No obligation: the first review of your idea is free
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What happens next
- 1We review your briefand may ask a few questions
- 2A short callabout goals, budget and limits
- 3Written proposalstages, scope, fees and timing
- 4First stage startswith a decision gate at its end
- usually 300–1 000 units per product in a first order
- usually 6–12 months from brief to first sales
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