Trademark registration in Cyprus. Cyprus officially called the Republic of Cyprus, is an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It is the third-largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus is a major tourist destination in the Mediterranean with an advanced, high-income economy and a very high Human Development Index. Accordingly, many businesses want to enter this market and one of the most important preparations a business needs to take before expanding to this country is to learn the procedure of trademark registration in Cyprus.
Types of trademark registrable in Cyprus
Several types of trademark registrable in Cyprus include:
- Simple trademarks;
- Service marks;
- collective marks ;
- certification marks.
Necessary requirements for trademark registration in Cyprus
In order to register a trademark in Cyprus, the marks must qualify the following requirements:
- The mark must be distinctive;
- The mark must not resemble any previously registered trademark;
- The mark must not deceive the public.
Necessary documents for trademark registration in Cyprus
Necessary documents for trademark registration in Cyprus include:
- The request for the trademark registration in Cyprus;
- List of the trademark and the services/products with the description;
- A graphic representation of the trademark;
- Proof of payment of the application fee;
- The power of attorney.
The procedure of trademark registration in Cyprus
In order to register a trademark in Cyprus, the applicant will need to file an application form, called Form TM2. It should be noted that the application must be filed separately for each class of products or services.
Once the application is filed, the Cypriot Trademark Registrar will examine the request and publish it in the Official Gazette for 2 months. During this period, any related third parties with a solid reason may file for trademark opposition. If no opposition is filed, the Cypriot Registrar will issue a registration certificate with a copy of the trademark.
Unlike other countries with a validity period of 10 years, trademarks in Cyprus have 7 years validity period from the date of registration. The trademark owner may file for renewal for 14 years after the first 7 years.
Note:
- Since Cyprus is a member of the EU and WIPO, the applicants who want to register a trademark in Cyprus may also have the option of registering a trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) or with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) by mentioning Cyprus as a contracting state.
- It should also be noted that foreign citizens and companies can register trademarks in Cyprus without being residents of this country.
- The trademark registration process in Cyprus takes a few months to complete.
IP treaties that Cyprus is a member of:
- the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property,
- the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) Convention,
- the Madrid Protocol,
- the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
You can see a list of Cyprus IP firms here.