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Notice of 21 March 2016

Notice on the change of name of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market to European Union Intellectual Property Office

Amendments to the Community trade mark regulation of the European Union will enter into force on 23 March 2016 (EU Regulation no. 2015/2424). As from that date, the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) in Alicante, Spain, will change its name to European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Community trade marks will then be called European Union trade marks. OHIM's emblem will be kept as the distinctive image of the office, only the name and the abbreviation will be replaced.

The Amending Regulation is part of the EU trade mark reform legislative package that also includes the replacement of the existing EU Trade Mark Directive (Directive 2008/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council). The name of the basic Regulation changes from Community Trade Mark Regulation (CTMR) to European Union Trade Mark Regulation (EUTMR). All existing Community trade marks (CTMs) and Community trade mark applications will automatically become European Union trade marks or applications for a European Union trade mark from the entry into force. The Amending Regulation also changes the fees payable to the office, including an overall reduction in their amounts, particularly significant in the case of renewals, and the adoption of a one-class-per-fee system.
The change of name also affects the online presence and the e-mail addresses of the EUIPO. From 23 March the e-mail addresses will change to "forename.surname@euipo.europa.eu", the Internet address to "www.euipo.europa.eu". The German Patent and Trade Mark Office will change any reference to 'OHIM' to read 'EUIPO' on its website and the print publications as soon as possible.

Information on the amendments to the Community trade mark regulation is available under the following link here:

1519-1E-006 E1 - 2.1.1

Last updated: 23 December 2024