Business as usual following Brexit!

Venner Shipley will continue to represent Applicants for EU trade marks and Community designs before the EUIPO following the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020.

Please contact us if you have any questions relating to EU trade marks and designs post Brexit, but note that irrespective of the outcome of the free trade negotiations currently taking place between the EU and the UK, as of 1 January 2021:

• Registered EU trade marks and Community designs will automatically continue to enjoy protection in the UK via new and independent comparable UK registrations. EU designations of International Registrations will also continue to enjoy protection in the UK as new national UK registrations. A renewal fee will need to be paid to the EUIPO to maintain the existing EU registrations. The comparable UK registrations will also need to be renewed separately at the UKIPO. For more information, please see here (trade marks) and here (designs).
• Pending EU applications for EU trade marks and Community designs, as well as pending EU designations of International Registrations will have to be re-filed in the UK within nine months, i.e. by 30 September 2021, to benefit from the EU filing date. For more information, please see here (trade marks) and here (designs).
• The address for service rules at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) are changing. An address for service in the UK will generally be required, with certain exceptions applying for a limited period of time. For more information, please contact brexit@vennershipley.co.uk.

Please get in touch if you wish us to assume responsibility for any newly created UK comparable rights, if you wish us to re-file any applications in the UK, or appoint ourselves as your UK address for service for any UK rights.

Click here for our UPDATE – UKIPO Address for Service posted on 19 March 2021.