Trademark protection in the European Union

Besides trademark protection in the national offices of the EU Member States, there is possibility to protect a European Union Trade Mark. An European Union Trade Mark (EUTM) is valid in all Member States of the European Union, and its registration procedure is carried out by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) with headquarters in Alicante, Spain. An EUTM is valid in the European Union as a whole, and it is not possible to limit protection geographically only to certain Member States.

Until the moment of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the full membership of the European Union, the nationals of the Republic of Croatia and legal entities having an effective commercial establishment in the Republic of Croatia may protect EUTM directly with the EUIPO, or under the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (it must be indicated that protection in the European union (EM) is requested); following the accession of Croatia, it will be possible to file a EUTM application through the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia.

From the moment of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the full membership of the European Union, the legal effects of all registered EUTM and EUTM applications will be automatically extended to the territory of the Republic of Croatia.