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Updated: November 14, 2024
A trademark is a valuable corporate intellectual property asset. Based on it, buyers can distinguish goods or services from different suppliers. In Cyprus, individuals and companies, including foreign ones, can apply for trademark registration.
In Cyprus, the central normative regulators for trademark registration are the Trademark Law, which was amended in 2006, and the Control of Goods Infringing the Movement of Intellectual Property Rights Law of 2018.
Cypriot law defines a trademark as a mark that can be replicated in various ways. For example, the following elements are used for its creation:
A trademark can be a single form or a combination of symbols. Its primary purpose is to represent a product or service. A trademark is a valuable commercial asset that can be transferred, sold, or assigned to a new owner.
A trademark does not protect the appearance of a product or invention. For this purpose, other forms of copyright exist, such as industrial design or patent.
A trademark is protected exclusively within the jurisdiction in which it was registered. Therefore, additional procedures are required if you register a trademark outside Cyprus.
There are 11 enacted types of trademarks:
Before registering a trademark in Cyprus, you must ensure it is unique. To do this, you can use national and international registries:
Once you are confident that your trademark meets all the requirements and is unique, you can apply to the Intellectual and Industrial Property Office by filling out Form ES 02 via electronic form, by mail, or in person.
The application must be accompanied by:
How much does it cost to register a trademark in Cyprus:
Type of fee | Application in person or by mail | Via an electronic form |
Basic fee | EUR 141 | EUR 129 |
Additional fee for each class of goods or services | EUR 102 | EUR 94 |
Fee for certification or collective trademark | EUR 443 | EUR 415 |
Extra cost for each class of goods or services | EUR 128 | EUR 116 |
Upon receipt of your application, the Intellectual and Industrial Property Office must verify that the registration conditions have been met; after that, you will get the registration number.
In a formal examination, the application is checked for compliance with the legal requirements for information, data, and documents. In case of violation, the applicant has 2 months to revise the application. If the deadline for revision is missed, the application is cancelled.
After that, the Department proceeds to the substantive examination of the application. At this stage, the trademark is checked for absolute reasons for refusing registration. For example, such a reason can be the lack of unique characteristics or similarities with already registered trademarks.
If the examination shows that the application contains one or more reasons for rejection, you have up to 2 months to:
The Sector will review your comments or other actions and decide whether to accept or reject your application. You can appeal the experts' decision to the Administrative Court.
When the Division is satisfied that all conditions are met, it proceeds to register the application and publish it in the Official Gazette of the Cyprus Republic. If you detect apparent errors in the publication of your trademark application, you can request a correction. No fee is charged for such requests.
Trademarks in Cyprus are valid for ten years from the initial registration date and can be renewed for 10 years after the first 10 years.
Cypriot law provides for absolute and corresponding reasons for denial of registration.
The absolute ones include:
The corresponding reasons relate to cases where a trademark corresponds to an already registered trademark or has similar features. This implies that it can mislead potential buyers.
How long are trademarks valid in Cyprus after initial registration?
In Cyprus, a trademark is valid for ten years from the date of application. It can then be renewed every ten years on application. You apply during the final six months in any ten years.
How do I register a trademark in Cyprus?
To register a trademark in Cyprus, apply to the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property using form Ε.Σ. Αρ. 2 (E.S. 02). The procedure must be done through a lawyer. Your application will get a registration number, and the Registrar will do a preliminary examination. Then, the Registrar will proceed to the substantive examination on criteria like registrability, distinguishability, and originality. The Registrar will issue a decision, and if approved, the trademark will be published in the Official Government Gazette. A certificate of registration is issued upon payment of a fee. The application form is available at https://www.intellectualproperty.gov.cy/assets/modules/wgp/articles/201909/788/docs/es2.pdf.
How do I register a copyright in Cyprus?
A copyright does not have to be registered. Copyrights exist automatically when a work takes material form. Anyone who copies and distributes the work or uses it commercially without permission commits an offence and may face fines or imprisonment.
What are the Cyprus trademark registration requirements?
The Registrar will examine the trademark application against absolute and relative grounds for rejection. Absolute grounds relate to inherent qualities of the trademark, like lack of valid signs, distinguishability, or conflict with public order. Relative grounds involve conflicts with existing rights, such as similarities with existing trademarks, famous trademarks, or bad faith applications. Detailed criteria include issues with state signs, religious symbols, names of origin, and existing rights to name, personality, copyright, or industrial design.
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