The registration process in Croatia

Although the trademark registration is not obligatory at the time of putting the goods and/or services into circulation, it is very useful to protect particular aspects of the goods by a certain form of intellectual property. In such a way, you reduce the possibility of infringing (even unwillingly) other persons rights, and you obtain an effective instrument for the protection of your rights.

A decision concerning the elements of your market identity that you wish to protect by a trademark, arises from your overall business strategy by which you individualize your goods and make them well-known, and different from other goods.

Any sign applying for the trademark protection shall be applied for by a separate application, the constituent element of which is a list of the goods and/or services to which the sign relates, being drawn up in accordance with the Nice Classification. A list of the goods and/or services included in the application may not be subsequently extended. Therefore the list has to be drawn up very carefully, since it determines the scope of protection of the trademark concerned.

A trademark application has to be filed on Ž-1 Form, and has to be supported by the evidence on payment of the prescribed procedural costs. The protection requirements and the whole procedure concerning an application are prescribed by the Trademarks Act and the Trademarks Regulation.

Before filing an application a good thing would be to carry out a similarity search of earlier trademarks, as to avoid unnecessary problems.

A very useful advisory assistance before filing your application, professional conduct of procedure before the Office, as well as and subsequent representation in possible administrative and court proceedings, is offered by professional representatives in the field of industrial property, whom you may engage to work on your behalf and for your account.