A registered trademark grants you exclusive rights over a sign that identifies your products or services and distinguishes them from those of your competitors. In France, registration with the INPI creates an industrial property title that takes effect from the filing date. At European level, registration with the EUIPO grants protection across all 27 EU member states in a single procedure.
Initial protection lasts ten years and is renewable indefinitely although non-use for five consecutive years exposes the trademark to revocation. Registration applies to the specific classes of products and services covered by your filing and to the territories chosen, whether French, European, or international through the Madrid Protocol administered by WIPO.
Beyond legal protection, a registered trademark is a strategic business asset. It builds brand value, secures distribution and licensing agreements, supports financing operations and provides a basis for enforcement against counterfeiters and cybersquatters.
A prior trademark search verifies that your sign is available before you file. It identifies earlier rights in France, in the European Union and in any other relevant jurisdictions that could block your registration or expose you to opposition or infringement actions.
Running a thorough prior search early dramatically reduces the risk of rejection, costly rebranding and disputes. Our team conducts searches across the EUIPO TMview and the WIPO Global Brand Database, the national registers of France and your target markets, and uses linguistic and phonetic analysis to detect close prior rights.
Four structural advantages of the French and European trademark systems that make registration one of the most efficient legal investments for international brands.
A registered trademark is protected for ten years and can be renewed every ten years for as long as it is used. Some of the most valuable trademarks in the world have been continuously renewed for over a century.
Source: EU Regulation 2017/1001 and French Intellectual Property Code.
A single EU trademark application filed with the EUIPO protects your sign across all 27 EU member states, covering a single market of 450 million consumers. No country-by-country prosecution, no separate renewals.
Source: EUIPO, EU trademark single procedure.
The Madrid Protocol, administered by WIPO, lets you extend the protection of your French or EU trademark to more than 130 countries through one centralized international application, in one language and with one set of fees.
Source: WIPO, Madrid System for the international registration of marks.
From the publication of a contested EU trademark application, you have three months to file an opposition with the EUIPO. The procedure is significantly faster and cheaper than litigation, and it is the most efficient way to block a conflicting registration before it enters the market.
Source: EU Regulation 2017/1001, article 46.
As early as possible. The ideal moment is before your product launch, your funding round or your entry into a new market. The trademark filing date freezes your priority rights, so any delay opens the door to a competitor or a bad-faith filer registering a similar sign first.
Before filing, run a prior availability search. Then choose the right office or combination of offices depending on your business objectives: the INPI for France, the EUIPO for the European Union (EU trademark, EUTM), WIPO for international trademarks via the Madrid Protocol, the UKIPO for the United Kingdom, the IPI for Switzerland and the BOIP for Benelux.
Whether you are a startup, an SME, a large corporation or an individual creator, working with a trademark attorney at the filing stage protects you against avoidable rejections, oppositions and downstream disputes.
Your trademark is protected from the moment it is registered. But the INPI, the EUIPO and WIPO do not warn you when a third party files a similar or identical sign in the same classes. Watching your trademark is your responsibility, and detecting risks early is what makes the difference between a quick win at opposition stage and a costly dispute later.
Dreyfus monitors your trademarks across the major registers, online marketplaces, social media and domain names. Our proprietary IPweb® platform automatically detects identical or similar new filings and applications, alerts you in real time and gives you direct access to monitoring of related signs across digital channels. The result: you can act before a similar mark enters the market, often through a low-cost cease and desist letter or opposition procedure rather than litigation.
Our attorneys also assist you in evaluating the strength of each detected risk, the likelihood of confusion with your trademark and the strategic options available, from amicable resolution to formal opposition or court action.
An opposition procedure allows a prior trademark holder to challenge a newly filed trademark before it is registered. It is faster and significantly cheaper than litigation, which is why it is the preferred defence tool for most trademark owners in Europe.
In France, opposition is filed before the INPI within two months of publication. At European level, opposition is filed before the EUIPO within three months of publication of an EU trademark application. The procedure is also available against international trademarks designating France or the European Union through WIPO. A successful opposition results in the rejection of the contested application, in whole or in part.
Before formal action, it is often worth contacting the applicant directly to negotiate an amicable solution, such as a withdrawal, a limitation of the goods and services covered or a coexistence agreement.
A registered trademark is valid for ten years and is renewable indefinitely, but only if it is genuinely used. Failing that, it can be challenged by a third party through a revocation or cancellation action.
Three main grounds can lead to the loss of trademark rights:
Active monitoring, evidence of use, contractual policing of licensees and proactive enforcement against generic use are the four pillars that keep your trademark rights solid over time.
Dreyfus combines French legal expertise with direct access to the INPI, the EUIPO and WIPO, and coordinates with a network of trusted local correspondents in every jurisdiction where your trademarks matter. We support international clients in trademark filing, watch, opposition, revocation, licensing, enforcement and litigation across France, the European Union and beyond.
We guide you through the trademark registration process, handling all necessary administrative and legal steps to ensure optimal protection.
Our proactive monitoring service detects any unauthorized use of your trademarks, allowing you to react quickly and effectively.
We represent clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings, as well as in disputes related to unauthorized use of their trademarks.
We offer audits and strategic advice to optimize and enhance your trademark portfolio, including licensing negotiations.
We ensure the registration and protection of your trademarks internationally, with global monitoring to detect fraudulent uses.
Our experts provide personalized strategic advice, training, and ongoing legal monitoring to ensure compliance and protection of your trademarks.
A standard EU trademark filed with the EUIPO can be registered in as little as 4 to 6 months for straightforward applications filed under the Fast Track procedure, absent opposition. Outside the Fast Track procedure, or where the application raises objections, the timeline may be longer. The procedure includes formal examination, absolute grounds review, a 3-month publication window open to opposition, and final registration.
A French INPI trademark filing starts at 190 euros for one class of goods or services, with 40 euros per additional class. An EU trademark filing with the EUIPO starts at 850 euros for one class, 50 euros for the second class and 150 euros per class beyond. International registration through the Madrid Protocol has variable WIPO fees depending on designated countries. These figures cover official office fees only, not professional services.
A French INPI registration protects your trademark in France only. An EU trademark filed with the EUIPO protects your sign across all 27 EU member states under a single right, with one application and one renewal. The EU option is more cost-effective per country if you operate in multiple EU markets, while the INPI option suits purely domestic activity. Both rights can coexist.
The Madrid Protocol, administered by WIPO in Geneva, lets trademark owners extend the protection of their French or EU trademark to more than 130 countries through a single international application, in one language and with one set of fees. The procedure requires an existing national or EU base registration. Once filed, the application is forwarded to each designated country for examination under local law.
You can file an opposition with the relevant office within the legal deadline: 2 months at the INPI for French applications, 3 months at the EUIPO for EU applications. The opposition must be based on prior rights, including an earlier trademark, a well-known mark, a copyright, a company name or a domain name, and supported by documentary evidence. Opposition is significantly faster and cheaper than court litigation.
Yes. A registered trademark can be cancelled or revoked on three main grounds: non-use for 5 consecutive years in the territory of registration, becoming a generic term through the owner’s inaction, or becoming deceptive about the nature, quality or geographical origin of the goods or services. Active monitoring and evidence of use are essential to preserve trademark rights over time.
The Nice Classification, used by trademark offices worldwide, organizes goods and services into 45 classes. Your trademark must be registered in every class corresponding to your current and reasonably foreseeable activities. Under-classification leaves you exposed to competitors filing in adjacent classes. Over-classification increases fees and triggers non-use risk. Choosing the right classes is a strategic decision.
In France and at the EUIPO, individuals and EU-based companies can file directly. Non-EU companies must appoint a professional representative within the EU. Even when not legally required, working with an experienced trademark attorney significantly reduces risks of refusal, opposition and downstream litigation, especially for filings in multiple territories.
