European Union (EU)

Trademarks are usually signs or images, but they can also be defined by a three-dimensional shape, e.g. the shape of a product. However, so that shapes of goods with a purely technical effect cannot be monopolized by means of a 3D trademark, such shapes of goods are excluded from protection. Trademarks that at first glance […]

The European Community trade mark, which offers uniform trade mark protection in the EU, has been in existence since 1994. In 2009, the legislator commissioned an analysis of the existing system from the Max Planck Institute in order to improve efficiency and legal certainty. Based on comprehensive user surveys, this resulted in Regulation EU 2015/2424,