📄 Nice Class 16: Paper, Printed Matter & Stationery
The EUIPO register holds 283,413 trademarks in Class 16, the class for paper, cardboard, printed matter and stationery (as of July 2026). (as of July 2026).
283,413
Marks in the EU register
148,860
Registered with the EUIPO
+2 %
Growth 2020–2024
53 %
Word mark share
Class 16 is the paper class: it covers paper and cardboard, printed matter such as books and magazines, stationery and office supplies. The EUIPO register holds 283,413 trademarks in Class 16, of which 148,860 are registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data), making it one of the large Nice classes. And despite digitalisation it is holding up remarkably well: new registrations rose from 10,344 in 2020 to 10,548 in 2024, a 2 percent increase, with another 10,438 added in 2025. The top filers reveal why. Leading the class is Deutsche Telekom, a telecoms group, with 1,130 trademarks, followed by World Wrestling Entertainment (776), Konami (504), IBM (423) and Procter & Gamble (418). Not a single traditional paper maker among them. Class 16 is the classic add-on class: large companies use it to cover brochures, manuals, trading cards and marketing materials that accompany their actual products. 53 percent of trademarks in the class are word marks.
What belongs in Class 16?
Class 16 covers paper and cardboard, printed matter and stationery. Typical examples: books, magazines and journals, posters and calendars, pens and office supplies, notebooks, teaching and instructional materials, paper and cardboard packaging, and trading cards. One important distinction: the class protects the printed or paper-based product. E-books, apps and other digital content belong in Class 9, while publishing services and online courses sit in Class 41.
Typical examples: Paper, books, printed matter, stationery
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 16
Most active applicants in Class 16
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deutsche Telekom Ag | 1,130 |
| 2 | World Wrestling Entertainment Llc | 776 |
| 3 | Konami Digital Entertainment Co Ltd | 504 |
| 4 | International Business Machines Corporation | 423 |
| 5 | The Procter & Gamble Company | 418 |
| 6 | Intesa Sanpaolo Spa | 411 |
| 7 | Disney Enterprises Inc | 380 |
| 8 | Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix (Also Trading As Square Enix Co Ltd) | 317 |
| 9 | Warner Bros Entertainment Inc | 309 |
| 10 | El Corte Ingles Sa | 281 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
Think beyond paper from the start with Class 16: in practice it is most often combined with Class 9 (digital content, e-books, software), Class 41 (publishing, courses, entertainment) and Class 35 (advertising, retail). Check whether your name is protectable as a word mark; 53 percent of trademarks in Class 16 are word marks. And search the register thoroughly before filing: Deutsche Telekom, WWE, Konami, IBM and Procter & Gamble are broad-based large filers here whose portfolios reach far beyond paper, so plenty of names are already taken.
Common mistakes with Class 16
The most common mistake around Class 16: protecting print and forgetting digital. Founders filing for a magazine, a guidebook or teaching materials often think only of the printed edition, yet the e-book and the app sit in Class 9, and without it a major gap remains. Second mistake: overlooking the service side. Publishers, course providers and magazine founders also need Class 41 for publishing and training, because Class 16 covers only the goods. And third, the packaging fallacy: a filing for paper packaging does not automatically protect the product inside, which needs its own goods class. The fact that Deutsche Telekom tops the class with 1,130 trademarks, according to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), shows how systematically large companies lock down these accompanying materials.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What belongs in Nice Class 16?
Class 16 covers paper and cardboard, printed matter such as books, magazines and posters, stationery, office supplies, teaching materials, paper packaging and trading cards. It protects the paper-based product. E-books and digital content belong in Class 9, publishing services in Class 41.
Why is Deutsche Telekom the top filer in the paper class?
According to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), Deutsche Telekom leads Class 16 with 1,130 trademarks, ahead of World Wrestling Entertainment (776), Konami (504), IBM (423) and Procter & Gamble (418). Class 16 is a classic add-on class: large companies use it to cover brochures, manuals, marketing materials and trading cards that accompany their core business.
Do I need Class 16 for my e-book or online magazine?
Not for purely digital content; that belongs in Class 9, with the publishing itself in Class 41. You need Class 16 as soon as there is a printed edition, paper merchandise or workbooks. Many publishers and course providers therefore file 16, 9 and 41 together.
Which classes are typically combined with Class 16?
Most often Class 9 for digital content and software, Class 41 for publishing, courses and entertainment, and Class 35 for advertising and retail. A magazine with a print edition, an app and an online shop covers the typical gaps with this combination.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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