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Frequently Asked Questions
about Trademark Registration
Why we do not offer "express" filings
Trademark registration is not a simple technical submission, but a process that directly affects the security and value of your brand. Filing without thorough checks, risk assessment and the right choice of classes can lead to rejections, oppositions or future problems. That is why we do not follow “instant filing” practices and instead choose a methodical process that reduces risk and safeguards your mark’s position as far as possible.
Of course, we can file a mark very quickly if we simply submit the application without our involvement in all the intermediate advisory stages.
What is the timeline for registration?
- Completing the questionnaire (sent when the engagement begins)
We gather all the information about your brand and your activities. - Gathering supporting documents & scheduling the filing (5 business days)
Once we receive the questionnaire, we proceed with a thorough conflict search in order to get the clearest possible picture of the risks. We send you our opinion together with the classes you have selected, along with advice on those classes so that you can make the final decision yourself. - Filing the application (5 business days)
The application is officially filed and receives a protocol number. - “Filed” stage (preliminary examination) (approximately one month)
The office examines the application for formal deficiencies and absolute grounds for refusal.
It normally takes up to one month from the start of the process - Official publication
The application is published publicly and the start and end dates of the opposition period are officially announced. - Opposition period (3 months)
Third parties may file oppositions. If no opposition is raised, the process continues smoothly. - End of the opposition period
Once the period ends, the file proceeds towards completion.
The mark is “Registered” approximately 4-5 months from the start of the process
The mark is published as registered. This usually happens 1-2 weeks after the opposition period ends.
What can I register as a trademark?
A trademark can be any distinctive element that helps the public identify your business or products. This includes verbal elements (a name, phrases, a slogan), visual elements (logos, symbols, graphics), and even special forms such as three-dimensional shapes, sound marks or packaging, provided they have distinctive character.
Can a trademark be registered in the name of two people?
Yes, it can. A trademark can be registered by more than one co-owner, whether they are individuals or companies. In this case all the owners appear officially in the registration and share the rights to use and exploit the mark. It is important, however, that there is a clear agreement between them regarding the manner of use, the rights and the obligations, so that future disputes can be avoided.
How much will the renewal cost in 10 years?
Based on current figures, renewing a national trademark after ten years would cost 120€ for the first class and 20€ for each additional class. The fee for submitting the renewal application would be 150€
How much does filing cost and what does it depend on?
The cost is shaped by two main factors: the number of classes selected and the type of registration (national, European or international). Each system has its own fees for the first class and additional charges for every subsequent one. The service fees include the search, the definition of the classes, drafting the application and managing the process through to the final decision.
I am a private individual; can I register a trademark?
Yes, you can. Registering a trademark does not require a company to exist. A private individual can file and own a trademark in their own name, as long as they specify the classes of goods or services they intend to cover. Many creators, artists, professionals or people preparing a future brand start exactly this way, so as to secure their name before moving on to any corporate form.
Can I register a trademark and not use it?
Yes, you can register it without using it immediately, but its protection is not unlimited. Once five years have passed from registration, any third party can request the cancellation of the mark if they prove that it is not genuinely being used in the market. This means that non-use does not create an immediate problem, but over time it can lead to a loss of rights. The safe practice is to have at least basic and documented use within the first five years so that the mark remains fully protectable.
See our press page for the case of James Bond and the five-year rule
What are oppositions and appeals concerning similar trademarks?
When an application is filed, the office examines whether there are earlier trademarks that could cause confusion. If one of them is considered conflicting, the owner of the earlier mark can file an opposition. In this procedure it is assessed how far the two marks resemble each other in terms of name, appearance and classes. If a decision is issued against the applicant, there is a right of appeal, in which the case is re-examined with additional evidence and arguments.
If I face an opposition from another trademark or a refusal from the office and my trademark is not registered, what happens to the money?
Filing a trademark is accompanied by an official fee, which is not refunded in the event of a refusal or oppositions that ultimately lead to non-registration. The same applies to the service fees: they cover the time, the search, the drafting and the submission of the application, as well as the management of the process, regardless of the office’s decision.
To minimise the likelihood of refusal as much as possible, a FREE basic check always precedes the undertaking of the work, in which we examine whether the mark is descriptive, whether there are earlier, exactly identical conflicting marks and whether the requirements for distinctiveness are met. In the basic check we give you an initial risk assessment. At the next stage, and before filing, a thorough check with a risk assessment is carried out, in which you can make your final decision with all the data at hand. In this way we ensure that filing takes place only when the conditions are suitable, so that you do not proceed with a process that has no realistic chance of success.
Put simply, the money is not refunded, but the process is designed so that the risk of refusal is kept as limited as possible.
How do you collect the information about my trademark?
We gather all the information about your brand and your activities through an online questionnaire.
Is registration ever certain? Can anyone guarantee 100% that a trademark will go through?
Even if a trademark is absolutely unique, no company or professional can guarantee with absolute certainty that a mark will be approved. The final decision is taken solely by the office’s examiner, who assesses distinctiveness and any conflicts with earlier trademarks. This means that, even with flawless preparation, there is always a degree of uncertainty.
What we can ensure is proper groundwork: a full descriptiveness check, a search for identical and similar trademarks and an assessment of the likelihood of success are carried out before any filing. This reduces the risk of refusal to a minimum, but no one can give a “100% guarantee”, because it does not rest with the applicant or the consultant - it rests with the examiner and the committees.
Is a “perfect search” possible before registration?
A truly “perfect” search does not exist, because no one has access to internal pending applications that have not yet been published. This means there is always a small margin of uncertainty. At the level of a Greek trademark the assessment is usually safer, because it is examined by a national office with a more homogeneous register; by contrast, a European trademark involves 27 countries and more potential conflicts. If someone wanted an “absolutely deep” search, it would require a separate search in each local register, which is feasible but particularly costly.
In any case, our success rates are extremely high, because a full assessment of distinctiveness and conflicts precedes every filing.
See more information about the complexity of the network of registration offices on our page Synapsee.gr/xartis_simaton_Trademarks
What can I register as a trademark?
A trademark can be any distinctive element that helps the public identify your business or products. This includes verbal elements (a name, phrases, a slogan), visual elements (logos, symbols, graphics), and even special forms such as three-dimensional shapes, sound marks or packaging, provided they have distinctive character.
Can I use the trademark before it is approved? What are the risks and the safe practices?
Use before official registration is permitted, but it carries risk: if a conflict with an earlier trademark ultimately arises, the owner can demand that use be stopped, seek damages or even the withdrawal of products. The safe practice is to use the mark normally, but to avoid large production runs, printing or investments until the examination is complete. A proper preliminary check before filing significantly reduces the risk.
What do your services include and what do they not?
The preliminary check, the preparation of the file, the filing and the monitoring of the process are included. The fees for defending against oppositions or third-party objections are not included; these are provided only if requested.If an opposition or objections arise, is it covered by the package?
No. Managing oppositions/objections is a separate service, because it requires specialised legal handling and is charged on a case-by-case basis. This is stated explicitly in the contract.What is the role of the legal partners?
The legal partners take on the stages that require a specialised signature, such as defending against oppositions or official representations. These services are activated only if you request them.What does it mean that we monitor a trademark “up to the Registered stage”?
It means that we take on full monitoring from the very first day until official registration. After the Registered stage, we act only on a new instruction (e.g. renewal, extension, checking for conflicts).Trademark registration is not a simple technical submission, but a process that directly affects the security and value of your brand. Filing without thorough checks, risk assessment and the right choice of classes can lead to rejections, oppositions or future problems. That is why we do not follow “instant filing” practices and instead choose a methodical process that reduces risk and safeguards your mark’s position as far as possible.
Of course, we can file a mark very quickly if we simply submit the application without our involvement in all the intermediate advisory stages.
- Completing the questionnaire (sent when the engagement begins)
We gather all the information about your brand and your activities. - Gathering supporting documents & scheduling the filing (5 business days)
Once we receive the questionnaire, we proceed with a thorough conflict search in order to get the clearest possible picture of the risks. We send you our opinion together with the classes you have selected, along with advice on those classes so that you can make the final decision yourself. - Filing the application (5 business days)
The application is officially filed and receives a protocol number. - “Filed” stage (preliminary examination) (approximately one month)
The office examines the application for formal deficiencies and absolute grounds for refusal.
It normally takes up to one month from the start of the process - Official publication
The application is published publicly and the start and end dates of the opposition period are officially announced. - Opposition period (3 months)
Third parties may file oppositions. If no opposition is raised, the process continues smoothly. - End of the opposition period
Once the period ends, the file proceeds towards completion.
The mark is “Registered” approximately 4-5 months from the start of the process
The mark is published as registered. This usually happens 1-2 weeks after the opposition period ends.
A trademark can be any distinctive element that helps the public identify your business or products. This includes verbal elements (a name, phrases, a slogan), visual elements (logos, symbols, graphics), and even special forms such as three-dimensional shapes, sound marks or packaging, provided they have distinctive character.
Yes, it can. A trademark can be registered by more than one co-owner, whether they are individuals or companies. In this case all the owners appear officially in the registration and share the rights to use and exploit the mark. It is important, however, that there is a clear agreement between them regarding the manner of use, the rights and the obligations, so that future disputes can be avoided.
Based on current figures, renewing a national trademark after ten years would cost 120€ for the first class and 20€ for each additional class. The fee for submitting the renewal application would be 150€
The cost is shaped by two main factors: the number of classes selected and the type of registration (national, European or international). Each system has its own fees for the first class and additional charges for every subsequent one. The service fees include the search, the definition of the classes, drafting the application and managing the process through to the final decision.
Yes, you can. Registering a trademark does not require a company to exist. A private individual can file and own a trademark in their own name, as long as they specify the classes of goods or services they intend to cover. Many creators, artists, professionals or people preparing a future brand start exactly this way, so as to secure their name before moving on to any corporate form.
Yes, you can register it without using it immediately, but its protection is not unlimited. Once five years have passed from registration, any third party can request the cancellation of the mark if they prove that it is not genuinely being used in the market. This means that non-use does not create an immediate problem, but over time it can lead to a loss of rights. The safe practice is to have at least basic and documented use within the first five years so that the mark remains fully protectable.
See our press page for the case of James Bond and the five-year rule
When an application is filed, the office examines whether there are earlier trademarks that could cause confusion. If one of them is considered conflicting, the owner of the earlier mark can file an opposition. In this procedure it is assessed how far the two marks resemble each other in terms of name, appearance and classes. If a decision is issued against the applicant, there is a right of appeal, in which the case is re-examined with additional evidence and arguments.
Filing a trademark is accompanied by an official fee, which is not refunded in the event of a refusal or oppositions that ultimately lead to non-registration. The same applies to the service fees: they cover the time, the search, the drafting and the submission of the application, as well as the management of the process, regardless of the office’s decision.
To minimise the likelihood of refusal as much as possible, a FREE basic check always precedes the undertaking of the work, in which we examine whether the mark is descriptive, whether there are earlier, exactly identical conflicting marks and whether the requirements for distinctiveness are met. In the basic check we give you an initial risk assessment. At the next stage, and before filing, a thorough check with a risk assessment is carried out, in which you can make your final decision with all the data at hand. In this way we ensure that filing takes place only when the conditions are suitable, so that you do not proceed with a process that has no realistic chance of success.
Put simply, the money is not refunded, but the process is designed so that the risk of refusal is kept as limited as possible.
We gather all the information about your brand and your activities through an online questionnaire.
Even if a trademark is absolutely unique, no company or professional can guarantee with absolute certainty that a mark will be approved. The final decision is taken solely by the office’s examiner, who assesses distinctiveness and any conflicts with earlier trademarks. This means that, even with flawless preparation, there is always a degree of uncertainty.
What we can ensure is proper groundwork: a full descriptiveness check, a search for identical and similar trademarks and an assessment of the likelihood of success are carried out before any filing. This reduces the risk of refusal to a minimum, but no one can give a “100% guarantee”, because it does not rest with the applicant or the consultant - it rests with the examiner and the committees.
A truly “perfect” search does not exist, because no one has access to internal pending applications that have not yet been published. This means there is always a small margin of uncertainty. At the level of a Greek trademark the assessment is usually safer, because it is examined by a national office with a more homogeneous register; by contrast, a European trademark involves 27 countries and more potential conflicts. If someone wanted an “absolutely deep” search, it would require a separate search in each local register, which is feasible but particularly costly.
In any case, our success rates are extremely high, because a full assessment of distinctiveness and conflicts precedes every filing.
See more information about the complexity of the network of registration offices on our page Synapsee.gr/xartis_simaton_Trademarks
A trademark can be any distinctive element that helps the public identify your business or products. This includes verbal elements (a name, phrases, a slogan), visual elements (logos, symbols, graphics), and even special forms such as three-dimensional shapes, sound marks or packaging, provided they have distinctive character.
Use before official registration is permitted, but it carries risk: if a conflict with an earlier trademark ultimately arises, the owner can demand that use be stopped, seek damages or even the withdrawal of products. The safe practice is to use the mark normally, but to avoid large production runs, printing or investments until the examination is complete. A proper preliminary check before filing significantly reduces the risk.
The preliminary check, the preparation of the file, the filing and the monitoring of the process are included. The fees for defending against oppositions or third-party objections are not included; these are provided only if requested. No. Managing oppositions/objections is a separate service, because it requires specialised legal handling and is charged on a case-by-case basis. This is stated explicitly in the contract.The legal partners take on the stages that require a specialised signature, such as defending against oppositions or official representations. These services are activated only if you request them.It means that we take on full monitoring from the very first day until official registration. After the Registered stage, we act only on a new instruction (e.g. renewal, extension, checking for conflicts).