A trademark is any sign capable of graphic representation – consisting in particular of words (including personal names), letters, numerals, drawings, the shape of goods or their packaging, or any combination of these – provided that it can distinguish the goods or services of one person from those of another. The main purpose of a trademark is precisely this ability to identify a particular manufacturer’s product and set it apart from identical or similar competing products, thereby shaping the image and reputation of the company’s products. Your company thus appears more trustworthy and reliable in the eyes of consumers, strengthening your position in the market. A trademark should form part of every quality business portfolio, as it can be a valuable commercial asset.
Why register a trademark
A Slovak trademark gives you, as its owner, the exclusive right to use it in connection with the goods or services for which it is entered in the register kept by the Industrial Property Office. The owner may use the ® symbol alongside the trademark, and is also entitled to transfer it, grant the right to use it under a licence agreement or pledge it as security. These trademark rights are protected only within the territory of the state or region for which the mark was registered or where it has been used – in the case of a Slovak trademark, the territory of Slovakia.
Trademark registration is valid for ten years from the filing date and can be renewed for further ten-year periods at the request of the owner or a pledgee. The goods or services covered by a trademark are listed in classes, of which there are 45.
What our service includes
On receipt of your order – which should include the wording or a sample of the intended use of the sign, together with a description of the goods and/or services it is to cover – we can provide:
- A professional, precise and comprehensive analysis of your chosen trademark by an experienced lawyer
- An assessment of whether your trademark can be registered
- Preparation of the application by a lawyer and filing with the Industrial Property Office
- Claiming the right of priority
- Ongoing monitoring of your application throughout the registration proceedings
- Preparation of the applicant’s response in any opposition proceedings
- Communication and coordination with the Industrial Property Office throughout the registration proceedings
How long it takes 6 to 12 months
Additional services
- Renewal of an individual trademark in three classes of goods and services
- Renewal of an individual trademark in three classes of goods or services filed after the protection period has expired, but no later than six months after that date
- International trademark registration
- EU trademark
- Trademark in China
- Trademark in the USA
- Provisional patent in the USA
