In the modern business world, a trademark is more than just a name or a logo — it’s your brand, your identity, and sometimes one of your company’s most valuable assets. Whether you’re running a local business in Cyprus or expanding across Europe, protecting your brand through trademark registration is essential.

What Is a Trademark, and why register It?

A trademark can be a word, phrase, logo, sound, or design — anything that helps consumers identify your products or services. Registering your trademark gives you the exclusive right to use it and helps stop others from copying or using a confusingly similar name.

Without registration, your ability to enforce your rights can be limited — especially outside your immediate business area.

Registering a Trademark in Cyprus

If your business operates primarily in Cyprus, a national trademark might be the most straightforward and cost-effective option.
Where to register: Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property.
What you’ll need: A clear representation of your trademark, a list of goods or services, and payment of the relevant fees.
How long it lasts: 10 years, and it can be renewed every 10 years indefinitely.
What the registration gives: exclusive use of your mark in Cyprus; legal grounds to take action against infringers; the right to license or sell your trademark.

Registering an EU Trademark (EUTM)

If your business operates in more than one EU country — or plans to expand — consider applying for an EU trademark.

Why choose an EUTM?

One registration protects your mark in all 27 EU member states, including Cyprus.
It’s managed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
It saves time and money if you’re targeting multiple countries.

How It Works:

• File online through EUIPO.
• Examiners will check your application and publish it for potential oppositions.
• If there are no objections, your trademark is registered and valid for 10 years.

Want global protection? Use the Madrid System

Both Cyprus and the EU are part of the Madrid Protocol, which allows you to register your trademark in multiple countries with one application through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). As a general rule, you will need a national or EU trademark as your base before applying internationally.

Things to keep in mind

• Do a trademark search before applying to avoid conflicts with existing marks.
• If you don’t use your trademark for 5 consecutive years, it could be canceled.
• A registered trademark can become a valuable asset — one that you can license, sell, or use to attract investment.
• Once registered, monitor and enforce your rights.

Conclusion

Whether you're building a local brand in Cyprus or expanding across Europe, trademark registration is a key step in protecting your business identity. Cyprus offers a solid national system, while the EU trademark gives broader coverage with a single application

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Marina Kharchenko
LLB, LLM, Advocate - Legal Advisor
www.pravo.com.cy
www.kharchenko.law
e-mail: info@pravo.com.cy