What are the procedures for applying for German trademark registration?

1. Applicant qualification: According to German law, anyone who wants to distinguish his own goods or services from those of others in business activities can apply to the German Patent Office for a registered trademark. The federal law also stipulates that an applicant who does not have a business office in Germany can apply for trademark protection in Germany only if he accepts German trademarks or service trademarks in the country where he has a business office and gives them the same treatment as his own trademarks.

2. Formal review: After submitting the application, the examiner will review the legality of the submitted application documents, trademark patterns, power of attorney and other documents; If it meets the requirements, the application date and application number shall be granted.

3. substantive examination: according to the law, examine whether the trademark is registrable, whether it is the same as or similar to the registered trademark, and whether it violates the prohibition clause of the Trademark Law. For trademarks that fail the substantive examination, the examiner will notify the applicant in writing and inform the reasons for rejection. The applicant may submit a reexamination within the time limit from the date of receiving the notice of rejection, otherwise the application will be deemed as abandonment, and the application date and application number will not be retained.

4. Trademark announcement: After examination, the examiner thinks that the trademark application is acceptable and will publish an announcement in the official German trademark announcement. 3 months from the date of announcement is the objection period.

5. Registration approval: a trademark that can be registered after an objection ruling, or a trademark that has been announced without objection, shall be registered and issued with a registration certificate. The whole application process is smooth (if there are no rejections, objections, etc.). It takes about 4-6 months.

6. Validity of German trademark: 65,438+00 years from the date of filing. Where it is necessary to continue to use the trademark after the expiration of the registration period, an application for renewal of registration shall be filed six months before the expiration of the registration period, and the validity period of each renewal of registration is 65,438+00 years.