A trademark is any sign that distinguishes your goods or services from those of other businesses. It is the legal foundation of your brand.
ArticleWhy trademark monitoring matters
Registration is not the end of the process - it is the beginning. Monitoring ensures your mark is not diluted or infringed without your knowledge.
Once your mark is registered, others may attempt to register similar marks that could infringe on your rights. Without monitoring, you may miss the opposition window and lose the ability to challenge those marks.
What Patentir monitors
Patentir scans new trademark applications across the EUIPO and national registries on a continuous basis. When a new mark is detected that conflicts with yours - by name similarity, phonetic similarity, or class overlap - you are notified immediately.
The opposition window
At the EUIPO, third parties have a 3-month window from the date of publication to file an opposition. Missing this window means you cannot challenge the mark through the standard process and must pursue more costly legal routes.
Conflict scoring
Patentir assigns each potential conflict a risk score based on visual, phonetic, and conceptual similarity, combined with class overlap. High-scoring conflicts require immediate action.
More articles
Intellectual property protection comes in several forms. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right tool.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office manages EU trademarks and designs - covering all 27 member states in a single registration.
Registering a trademark follows a structured process. Understanding each stage helps you set the right expectations and avoid delays.
Registration timelines vary by office and complexity. A straightforward EU trademark typically takes 4 to 6 months from filing to registration.
There are two separate reasons a trademark application can fail. Either the name is not something any single business is allowed to monopolise, or it collides with a trademark that already exists. The two are assessed at different stages, and they need different fixes.
Trademarks are registered for specific goods and services, organised into 45 classes under the Nice Agreement - a global system used by over 150 countries.
A structured overview of all 45 trademark classes, grouped by goods and services.
If a newly published trademark conflicts with yours, you can challenge it during the opposition period. Here is how the process works.
Registered trademarks must be renewed every 10 years. Failure to renew results in expiry and loss of protection.
A registered trademark can be cancelled if it has not been genuinely used for 5 consecutive years. Here is what you need to know.
