Register a Trademark in Croatia

Updated on Thursday 30th April 2020

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The trademarks for goods and services offered on the Croatian market can be registered and protected through two main methods. One is related to the EU legislation in this sense and the applications involved, and the second one considered the easiest, can be done with the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia, or SIPO. Through this important authority, entrepreneurs in Croatia can benefit from the intellectual property rights without worrying about infringements. If you are interested in opening a company in Croatia and you need legal support for trademark registration, you can talk to our Croatian lawyers.

Trademark legislation in Croatia

Croatia is part of the Madrid Agreement and Protocol for trademark registrations, regardless if the owner of the business is from this state or from another country. The Copyright and Related Rights Act 2003 is the legislation which stands at the base of the rules and regulations of how trademarks are protected in Croatia and what are the consequences in case of infringement. The legal aspects of trademark registration and connected issues can be entirely explained by our team of attorneys in Croatia. They can also help you obtain the EORI number.

How trademark registration is made in Croatia

In order to be easily recognized on the market, a company in Croatia needs an appropriate trademark. SIPO is the entity responsible for intellectual property protection, such as trademarks, designs, and patents. The administration will only act in accordance with the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2003 and will observe the procedures which grant the rights of trademark use on the Croatian territory. In order to avoid any possible problems regarding your business trademark, it is suggested to plan a logo verification and then draft the documents of the business with information about your chosen trademark. Additionally, the registration of the trademark will be issued according to the products category in Croatia which respects the Nice classification, as all EU countries do. We mention that the registered trademark in Croatia is available for 10 years.

Trademark renewal

The renewal of the trademark is necessary if you want to keep your rights and to avoid any possible cancelation of such entitlements. The local trademark office in the city where you perform your activities is in charge of renewing the trademark right to use in Croatia. Our team of Croatian lawyers is at your disposal with complete legal assistance when registering the trademark for your business.

Intellectual property in Croatia

If you have an invention or a design that you created by yourself, it is considered as an intellectual property, only if you register it. Any creation of the mind, invention, art and literary works, symbols, designs, commercial images and names are all treated as intellectual property in Croatia. There are various intellectual property laws in Croatia, each one made to protect a specific type of intellectual property. The main intellectual property laws in Croatia are:

- the Copyright and Related Rights Act,

- Patent Act,

- Act on the Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products,

- Trademarks Act,

- Industrial Design Act.

In order to benefit from the protection provided by these laws, your intellectual property must be registered with the State Intellectual Property Office in Croatia. Our lawyers in Croatia can help you understand these laws.

Copyright and Related Rights Act of Croatia

This law protects the rights of authors, publishers, performers, broadcast organizations, and producers. This Croatian intellectual property law covers books, literature, performances, films, phonograms, videograms, broadcasts, publications, and database. Our law firm in Croatia can help you have your works protected.

Patent Act of Croatia

Patents in Croatia are granted for inventions in the field of technology that is unique, involves an inventive step, and can be utilized for industrial applications. Inventions that are not patentable are those whose use is against public order or morality. The patent shall be granted to the inventor or to his/her successor. Our attorneys in Croatia can assist you in getting your invention patented.

Act on the Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products

Topographies of semiconductors means a sequence of related images either fixed or encoded. These are the subject matter of protection for this Croatian intellectual property law. The protection is granted to the creator of such topographies, whether individual or as a group. Our Croatia lawyers can inform you further on how to protect your topographies of semiconductors.

Croatian Trademarks Act

Trademarks are names, words, graphics, designs, shapes, packaging, colors, and any other marks that are used to distinguish goods and services of a seller or manufacturer from that of another. Protection is granted upon registration and the holder has the right to prevent any other person from using the registered trademark.

Industrial Design Act of Croatia

This law protects industrial designs or the entire appearance of certain products based on their specific features, lines, colors, contours, shapes, textures, and the materials used. The design must be new and has an individual character in order to be granted protection.

Please feel free to contact our law firm in Croatia for further information in this matter.