How to search for trademarks in the EU
Pocket IP provides a free tool for conducting searches in the EUIPO trademark database.
The data in our database is updated daily and fully complain with the current EUIPO applications and registrations lists.
The search results contain both data from the national database and the WIPO database with international trademarks.
You can create your own profile in the Pocket IP system or use the quick search function without creating a profile in the service.
The search can be carried out by:
- Keyword
- Application number
- Trademark registration number
- Trademark owner name
- Applicant's name
Search results can be filtered and sorted by all parameters in the table.
For further tracking of a trademark, it must be added to the My objects list.
Analyzing search results
It's important to carefully evaluate the results of a trademark search after performing it.
The following steps will assist you in examining search results:
Check Similarity: Review trademarks that are identical or similar to your proposed mark. Look for matches in spelling, phonetics, or visual appearance. Pay attention to the Nice Classification and the items protected by the potentially opposed trademarks. Consider whether the goods or services of the existing trademarks overlap or target similar audiences.
Highly distinctive trademarks have stronger protection, while descriptive marks may allow room for new variations.
Live vs. Expired Trademarks: Pay attention to "live" trademarks that are still in use. Trademarks that are withdrawn or expired typically do not present a conflict.
Pending Applications: If a conflicting trademark is pending, consider monitoring its progress to evaluate its impact on your application.
Analyze Opposition and Cancellation History: Verify whether similar trademarks have been challenged or canceled. You can learn about possible weaknesses or negotiation possibilities from this history.
Pocket IP’s trademark attorneys and intellectual property consultants can help analyze complex conflicts and advise on strategies, including modifying your trademark.
Next steps after the trademark search
After analyzing the search results, you could consider:
- to file a new trademark application as you wanted before searches.
- introduce amendments to the initial trademark: edit list of goods/services, add image or original font, edit word part of a trademark, etc.
- change your brand completely to avoid possible legal issues based on identified similar trademarks.
