Trademark

A trademark is a characteristic of a product or service. If you want to protect your trademark in Sweden, you apply for protection at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office (PRV). A Swedish trademark registration is valid for ten years and can then be extended a further ten years at a time.

Film: From business concept to registered trademark

Do you want to register a trademark?

Keep this in mind when applying for a trademark

You can register one or more words, a graphic symbol, a product, or the packaging of a product as trademarks. Sounds, melodies and motion or multimedia marks can also be registered as trademarks.

Registered trademarks provide:

Exclusive right to commercial exploitation.
Unlimited protection time, extendible every ten years.

Requirements for trademarks

Must be unique

For your trademark application to be approved it has to be unique. With the help of various search services, such as the Swedish Trademark Database, you can search for trademarks similar to yours. Keep in mind that even if you do not find a trademark similar to yours, it does not automatically mean that you will receive trademark protection.

See if you have a unique trademark at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

Must be distinctive

According to the Trademarks Act, a trademark must have a distinctive character in order to be registered. This means that your trademark must be able to be distinguished from other trademarks. It is important to note that a mark which does not have original distinctive character can still be registered if it is established. The trademark can not consist solely of a word that is descriptive of your goods and services, such as "ground" for coffee.

Obstacles to registering a trademark

A trademark cannot be registered if it can be confused with a name or a company name that someone else uses in a business. Another example of an obstacle to registering a trademark is a mark that misleads the public.

Guidelines for your trademark at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

What does it cost?

Fees and payment for trademark protection at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

When you have a registered trademark

Renewal and recordals regarding national trademarks

Take care of your trademark – remember to renew the trademark registration and send in any recordals regarding the registration.

Renewal and recordals for national trademarks

Monitoring your trademark

It is important to monitor your trademark to make sure that no one is using your registered trademark without permission.

Monitoring your trademark at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

Unauthorized use - infringement

If someone uses your invention, design, trademark, or copyright without permission, the person is infringing. You must also make sure not to infringe on the rights of others.

Unauthorized use – about infringement at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

Strategy for intangible assets

Strategy for intangible assets may sound complicated. But a good strategy shows the importance of the intangible assets for the company's business and how they are intended to be used and protected.

Strategy for intangible assets at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office