Blog — Trademark Law & Research

Practical articles on trademark research, filing, Nice classes and brand protection — explained clearly by the Markencheck.ai team.

A founder checks the status of her trademark on a laptop before using a trademark symbol
August 10, 2026 · 5 min read
® or ™: Which Symbol May You Use, and When?

The ® belongs only on registered trademarks, the ™ is a claim signal with no protective effect. We analysed 3 million marks in the EU register to show why the order matters.

Trademark Symbols
Trademark Law
Trademark
Startup founders brainstorming a new brand name around a laptop
August 3, 2026 · 3 min read
How Brands Are Named in Europe: Naming Trends from 2.75 Million Entries

tech, eco, smart and the endings -io and -ly. We analysed 2.75 million EU trademark names to show how brands in Europe are really named.

Brand Names
Naming
Trademark Search
An AI brand name in front of an EU circle of stars as a metaphor for trademark protection in the European Union
July 29, 2026 · 3 min read
Can You Trademark an AI Name? What the OpenAI Ruling Means

Even OpenAI cannot protect its name as an EU word mark. The reason affects almost every AI startup, and you can check for it before you file.

Trademark filing
Trademark search
AI
Person packing a parcel for shipping at a table, a typical small-business scene from an online shop
July 23, 2026 · 10 min read
Trademark Protection for Etsy, Shopify, TikTok: Search First

Etsy, Shopify, and TikTok Shop don't require a registered trademark to start. But all three remove listings after a third-party report. Here's how to search before launch.

E-Commerce
Trademark Filing
Etsy
Woman holding a parcel and documents, matching her goods against a list, as a metaphor for a clean goods and services list
July 10, 2026 · 11 min read
How to Write Your Trademark Goods and Services List

Your list decides what your trademark actually covers in the end. Here is how to name goods and services concretely, format them correctly, and avoid objections.

Goods and Services List
Trademark Application
Scope of Protection
Two founders comparing similar trademark options on a laptop in an office
July 8, 2026 · 10 min read
Likelihood of Confusion: Compare the Factors Yourself

Likelihood of confusion never comes from a single factor. How to weigh signs, goods and distinctiveness together before you file, the way the offices and courts do.

Likelihood of Confusion
Trademark Search
Similarity Search
Person sorting documents into categories as a metaphor for choosing the right Nice classes
July 4, 2026 · 7 min read
Choosing Nice Classes: The Right Class for Your Brand

There are 45 classes, and you pick the right ones yourself. Too narrow leaves gaps, too broad gets costly and vulnerable. Here is how to map your goods and services cleanly.

Nice classes
Trademark application
Trademark search
Map of Germany, Austria and Switzerland with three separate trademark protection zones as a symbol of territorial trademark protection in the DACH region
July 2, 2026 · 10 min read
Trademark Protection in DACH: Why There Is No DACH Mark

A single DACH trademark does not exist. Trademark protection is territorial and splits across three countries. Here you will read how to realistically secure Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and what it costs.

Trademark Protection
DACH
EU Trademark
Founder looks contentedly at her freshly registered trademark on her laptop and plans the next steps
June 29, 2026 · 8 min read
Trademark Registered, What Now? The 5 Phases After Filing

Registration is the start, not the finish line. The five phases that come your way after a trademark application, from publication to renewal.

Trademark protection
Trademark application
Trademark strategy
Founder at her desk reading a letter and calmly making sense of a trademark cease-and-desist notice
June 27, 2026 · 15 min read
Got a Trademark Cease-and-Desist Letter? First, Stay Calm

A cease-and-desist letter feels threatening, but it is first of all an out-of-court document. What's behind it, what amounts are typically involved, and why calm and early advice matter.

Trademark Law
Cease and Desist
Trademark Infringement
Founder at a desk comparing the four protections trademark, patent, design and copyright for their venture
June 27, 2026 · 9 min read
Trademark, Patent, Design or Copyright: What Protects What?

Trademark, patent, design or copyright? Four protections that get mixed up all the time. Here you will read what each one protects, how long it lasts, and which fits your plans.

intellectual property
trademark
design
Founder at a laptop weighing whether to file her trademark herself or hire a lawyer
June 27, 2026 · 10 min read
File a Trademark Yourself or With a Lawyer? The Honest Take

File a trademark yourself or hire a lawyer? Both routes are legitimate. This honest comparison shows when each one pays off, and what to watch for if you go it alone.

file a trademark
trademark filing
lawyer
Founder at a desk signing a contract to transfer a registered trademark
June 27, 2026 · 10 min read
Sell, Transfer or License a Trademark: What Founders Need to Know

A registered trademark can be sold, transferred or licensed, in full or in part. What the difference means and how the change of owner works at the DPMA and EUIPO.

Trademark Law
Trademark Transfer
Trademark License
Online seller checking the Amazon Brand Registry trademark requirements on a laptop
June 26, 2026 · 6 min read
Amazon Brand Registry: Which Trademark You Really Need

Amazon Brand Registry needs an active, registered trademark. Learn which trademark type qualifies and why you should run a search before you file.

Amazon Brand Registry
trademark registration
e-commerce
Founder calculating 2026 trademark fees for a trademark application on a laptop
June 26, 2026 · 8 min read
EU Trademark Fees 2026: What Actually Applies and Where You Save

Many expect a 2026 fee reform for trademarks. It is not happening. What really changes affects designs, and here is what your trademark actually costs.

Markengebühren
Markenanmeldung
Kosten
Founder at a desk comparing a company name, a domain and a registered trademark
June 26, 2026 · 8 min read
Company Name Search & Protection: Firm, Domain or Trademark?

A company name, a domain and a trademark protect completely different things. Which right is truly yours and which only looks like one, compared side by side.

Markenschutz
Firmenname
Domain
Founder at a laptop checking whether they can use an existing brand name
June 26, 2026 · 8 min read
Can I Use an Existing Brand Name? What Really Counts

An identical name is not automatically a conflict, and a similar name is not automatically free. What counts is the likelihood of confusion. Here is how to judge it.

Markenrecht
Markenname
Verwechslungsgefahr
Founder at a desk calculating the trademark fee reimbursement from the EU SME Fund
June 26, 2026 · 7 min read
EU SME Fund 2026: Get 75% of Your Trademark Fees Back

A 75% refund on trademark fees sounds too good to be true. Here's how the EU SME Fund really works, including an honest status check for 2026.

KMU-Fonds
Markengebühren
Förderung
Founder reviews a trademark application on a laptop and avoids common filing mistakes
June 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Trademark Filing: 6 Costly Mistakes to Avoid

The most expensive trademark filing mistakes happen before you submit. Here are the six to watch for and how you sidestep each one.

trademark application
register a trademark
mistakes
Founder team gathering ideas for a strong trademark name at a whiteboard
June 26, 2026 · 6 min read
How to Find a Trademark Name That's Strong and Free

A good trademark name is strong, free, and protectable. Here's how to find one with a clear workflow instead of gut feeling.

Markenname
Markenrecherche
Branding
Founder reviewing a trademark search on her laptop before filing
June 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Trademark Search Before Filing: Avoid Costly Conflicts

The office will not protect you from conflicts with earlier trademarks. How a thorough trademark search before filing saves you money and stress.

Trademark Search
Trademark Application
Trademark Protection
Founder reviewing new trademark filings on screen as part of trademark monitoring
June 26, 2026 · 6 min read
Trademark Monitoring: Why Registration Alone Won't Protect You

A registered trademark isn't automatically safe. Why trademark monitoring after filing matters just as much as the search you run before it.

Markenüberwachung
Markenschutz
Monitoring

Related pages

AI EUIPO trademark search — search the register & score hits

Research a trademark — find similar marks before filing

Trademark search costs — tool, DIY or attorney?