Trademark registration is the entry of a sign – a name, a logo, or a combination of the two – into the register kept by the industrial property office. It confers the exclusive right to use the sign for the specified goods and services and the ability to act against confusingly similar signs used by competitors. Before filing, a search is carried out to check whether a similar trademark is already registered, since a conflict leads to rejection or to later oppositions. The application is filed for specific classes of goods and services, and the choice of these determines both the scope of protection and the fee. Registration is valid for ten years and can be renewed repeatedly. For operating outside Slovakia, there is a trademark valid across the whole Union or an international registration. The trademark must also actually be used, otherwise it can be revoked after a period of time.
See also: Trademark in advertising, Brand name in a new market, Naming.
