Trademarks

A trademark is a distinctive sign in the form of a word, a figure, a combination of these, a scent or a sound for the identification of products or services of a particular company, individuals, business organisations, or any legal entity or association.

Trademarks are typically located on products, web pages and in brochures.

The logo or brand of a company is often extremely valuable since it makes it possible to distance the proprietor from competitors and protects the brand from being copied.

Design

A design registration protects the visual expression of a product. Within the European Union, the protection can be maintained for up to 25 years. A design registration may typically be supplementary to a patent protection or a trademark protection.

Packaging, furniture, machines, websites and interior design are examples of products that may be design protected.

Tropa’s experienced team of lawyers and European Design Attorneys guide our clients through the entire design process. We draft design strategies, file design applications and provide legal advice before and after the design is registered.

Technical features cannot be design protected, but they may often be subject to patent protection.

Copyright

A copyright protects the form of expression of a creator against copying.

Literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works are included in the protection and in some situations even inventions can claim copyright protection despite the patent having lapsed. There is no need to register the work in order for it to obtain protection within the European Union.