Trademark Registration in Croatia- A Decade of Security

A Croatian national trademark is valid for a period of 10 years from the official registration. Trademark holders must file an application for renewal within the last 12 months of the ongoing 10-year registration period to avoid additional surcharges.

The Croatian national trademark costs EUR67. There is a EUR20 for an additional class of products or services.

The Trademark Act No. NN 14/2019-272 is the primary Croatian trademark law that governs and protects trademarks in Croatia.

The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) is the main trademark authority that is solely responsible for the registration, renewal, cancellation, and reinstatement of trademarks in Croatia. The SIPO is also responsible for holding oppositions for third parties to file oppositions.

There are four main categories of trademarks in Croatia namely, individual, service, collective, and certification marks.

The Croatia trademark registration process starts with the conduction of the trademark search, followed by application submission, examination, and opposition period, and ends with the official grant of the trademark registration certificate.

The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) takes a minimum of 6 to 8 months to register a Croatian trademark.

Croatian individuals, Legal entities, foreign individuals, and foreign corporations are eligible to acquire a trademark in Croatia.

Yes, Croatian trademark owners can renew a trademark registration within the last 12 months of the current 10-year registration period by submitting a Croatia trademark renewal application with the necessary documents to the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO).

No, a Croatian trademark isn’t automatically valid in the European Union (EU). Croatian trademark holders who wish to enable EU-wide protection must file a new application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

No, Croatian trademark owners can’t convert a Croatian trademark into a European Union trademark. Any applicants who wish to extend trademark protection in the EU must file a separate application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

All businesses and entrepreneurship that have a different brand identity must register a trademark in Croatia. Some important businesses include restaurants, IT firms, food processing companies, and manufacturing plants.

Yes, the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) may cancel a Croatian national trademark if the trademark owner fails to renew the trademark registration after the expiration of the original term. The SIPO is entitled to cancel a trademark if the trademark holder fails to use the trademark registration for a period of 5 consecutive years.

Yes, the Croatian trademark law entitles the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) to cancel a trademark registration if the trademark owner hasn’t used it for 5 consecutive years after the official registration.

The Croatian trademark law provides a 6-month grace period to renew a trademark after the expiration of the initial 10-year registration period.

Yes, a Croatian trademark applicant can claim priority on their trademark registration in Croatia if they have a previous trademark application with the Paris Convention or in any of the World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries. The applicant must apply within the six-month timeline of their previous application.