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Register a Trademark in Italy

Register a Trademark in Italy

A foreign entrepreneur who is interested in doing business in Italy may need to register his trademark in this country in order to protect it from illegal usage. A trademark can be a combination of colors and letters, words, figures etc. that is created in order to distinguish a company or a product/service from others, especially those of the competitors.

Only the owner of a trademark can use it and he/she can give the right of usage of the trademark to certain business partners or other persons. If a trademark is registered, it can’t be used without the consent of the owner. Other companies are not allowed to use the same trademarks as those already registered.

After you register a trademark in Italy, the registration is valid for ten years and then it needs to be renewed. A trademark can be registered either by a legal entity or a natural person. If a trademark is not used after its registration, in a term of five years, it can be invalidated, if a third party requests this.

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Types of trademarks

In Italy, there are three main types of trademarks: for products, companies and services. If you want to register a trademark in Italy, you must be sure that it is new and not similar to others already used in this country, so you must check it. The trademark you choose should not contain elements that are against the law or moral and it must respect the copyright laws.

The registration can be made at the Patent and Trademark Office in Italy that owns a website where you can find useful information about the documents requested and the procedures. You may search online for a certain trademark, its holder, the date of registration etc.  

After you register your trademark with the Patent and Trademark Office, you can use it in Italy and also in San Marino and Vatican.

Foreigners who want to buy a house in Italy have at their disposal the support and legal advice offered by our lawyers. We have the necessary experience to be able to help you in this endeavor and offer the necessary legal services. We recommend those interested in such a transaction contact us to guarantee that the documents of the chosen property are in order from a legal point of view. We can also represent our clients with power of attorney, so don’t hesitate to contact us in this endeavor.

If you can’t go in person to register your trademark, you may ask an Italian lawyer to handle the entire procedure. There are trademark attorneys who are allowed to represent legal entities or natural persons in front of the Patent and Trademark Office in order to register a trademark.