Filing a Trademark in the EU: A Guide to the EUIPO Process

Quick Reference — This article is a short, high-density reference. For deeper coverage see the linked articles below.

An EU Trade Mark (EUTM) provides trademark protection across all 27 EU member states through a single application filed at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante, Spain.

Step-by-Step

1. Search the EUIPO database (euipo.europa.eu, TMview) to check availability
2. Go to EUIPO's online filing system (Fast Track available for pre-approved descriptions)
3. Enter the mark — word mark, figurative mark (logo), or shape mark
4. Select the Nice Classification class(es) and goods/services description (use pre-approved terms from the EUIPO harmonised database for Fast Track processing)
5. Pay the fee: €850 for one class (online filing), €50 for second class, €150 for each additional class
6. Submit

Timeline: Examination takes approximately 1 month. If no objections, the mark is published for a 3-month opposition period. If no opposition, registration issues approximately 5 months after filing.

Coverage: All 27 EU member states with a single registration. Does NOT cover the UK (post-Brexit) — file separately at the UKIPO.

Fast Track

Select goods/services descriptions from the EUIPO pre-approved database and pay online for Fast Track processing — registration can complete in under 4 months if unopposed.

Sources

1. EUIPO — EU Trademark Application — Official EUIPO portal for filing EU trademark applications
2. EUIPO — eSearch plus — EU trademark and design search database
3. WIPO — Madrid System for International Trademarks — International trademark registration system that includes the EU