Trademark protection in Greece
Your brand is one of your most valuable assets – and in Greece, protecting it means registering it. Without registration, you have limited legal recourse if someone else starts using your name, logo, or brand identity in the Greek market. We handle trademark registration, enforcement, and portfolio management for foreign businesses operating in or entering Greece.
National vs EU-registration
The first strategic decision is where to register. You have two main options, and the right choice depends on the scope of your business:
Greek national trademark. Registered with OBI (the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation), a national mark protects your brand exclusively within Greece. Filing fees start around €150–200 plus professional fees. The process is conducted in Greek. This is the right choice for businesses operating only in Greece — a local hospitality brand, a single-market service provider, or a company that needs cost-effective protection in one jurisdiction.
EU trademark (EUTM). Registered with EUIPO, a single filing covers all 27 EU member states. Filing fees start at €850 for one class (electronic filing). The cost per country is dramatically lower than filing nationally in multiple states, and protection extends automatically to any country that joins the EU in the future. For businesses that export, sell across Europe, or plan to expand beyond Greece, this is almost always the better investment.
Many of our foreign clients opt for EUTM registration to cover their broader European operations, with national Greek filings used selectively where additional protection is needed.
What we can file (and where)
Protect your brand in Greece, in the whole EU, or anywhere in the world.
Greek national trademarks at OBI
(Greek Trademark Office) – fast, cost-effective protection focused on Greece.
EU trade marks (EUTM) at EUIPO
Single application covering all EU member states, including Greece.
International trademarks at WIPO
Extend your home or EU mark to multiple countries in one workflow.
What You Can Protect
Greek and EU trademark law protects any sign capable of distinguishing your goods or services – provided it’s distinctive enough. In practice, the most common registrations are word marks (your brand name, regardless of font or styling), figurative marks (logos and graphic elements), and combinations of the two.
The strength of your protection depends directly on the distinctiveness of your mark. Invented or arbitrary names receive the broadest protection. Descriptive terms – names that simply describe what you sell – are difficult to register and weak even if granted. Generic terms cannot be protected at all.
Greece-specific considerations. Greek authorities pay close attention to marks incorporating Greek geographic names (islands, cities, regions), terms suggesting Greek origin when the goods aren’t actually from Greece, references to Greek cultural heritage or protected designations, and anything that could be confused with established Greek brands. A mark like “SANTORINI” for wines not from Santorini, or “ACROPOLIS” for a hotel not in Athens, will face serious obstacles. Protected designations of origin – “FETA,” “KALAMATA” for olives, “OUZO” – are off-limits entirely.
The 3 types of trademarks we usually file
We’ll discuss the pros and cons for yours
Word marks
strong, broad protection for the brand name across typographies
Figurative marks
logos, stylised words; useful when word alone is weak
Combined marks
word + logo; useful for immediate enforcement
The Registration Process
Registration follows a structured path: we conduct a clearance search to identify potential conflicts with existing marks, prepare and file the application with the appropriate office (OBI for Greek marks, EUIPO for EU marks), respond to any objections or oppositions, and see the registration through to grant.
The process typically takes four to eight months for a straightforward Greek filing, and roughly five to six months for an EUTM if no opposition is raised. Contested applications take longer.
the service
Our 5 step process
01
Mapping & Strategy
We map your brands, goods/services, markets, and timelines; choose word vs. logo, classes (Nice Classification), and filing route (GR / EU / Madrid).
02
Clearance Search
Professional searches for identical/similar marks in relevant registers; we flag risks and propose adjustments before you invest.
03
Drafting & Filing
Correct class headings/terms, priority claims, and evidence preparation where needed. We file and forward your application number the same day.
04
Monitoring
We respond to examiner objections, manage publication and opposition windows (typically 3 months from publication), and coordinate coexistence or settlements where strategic.
05
Registration & Aftercare
We deliver certificates, set up watch services, record assignments/licences, file customs notices (anti-counterfeit), and manage renewals (every 10 years).
After Registration: Use It or Lose It
Registration is not the end – it’s the beginning of an obligation. A registered trademark must be put to genuine commercial use within five years. If it isn’t, anyone can petition to cancel it.
“Genuine use” means real commercial activity – not token use designed to keep the registration alive. Sales invoices, advertising materials, product packaging, and market presence all count. Internal use within a corporate group, purely symbolic use, or use on a scale too small to constitute market presence do not.
We advise clients to maintain a use file for each mark from day one: dated evidence of commercial activity, sales records, advertising spend, photographs of the mark in use. Many businesses neglect this, and when a competitor challenges their mark years later, they have no evidence to defend it.
Marks must also be renewed every ten years, with the first renewal due ten years from the filing date. Missing a renewal deadline means losing the registration.
Enforcement
A registered trademark gives you the right to stop others from using identical or confusingly similar signs for the same or related goods and services. For marks with a strong reputation, protection can extend even to dissimilar goods where the use would take unfair advantage of or damage the brand.
Enforcement options include cease-and-desist actions, opposition proceedings against conflicting applications, civil litigation seeking injunctions, damages, and destruction of infringing goods, and criminal proceedings in cases of deliberate commercial-scale counterfeiting.
Greek courts have jurisdiction over infringement within Greece. For EUTMs, specialised EU trademark courts – including in Greece – have jurisdiction over infringement across the entire EU.
preventable trademark mistakes
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Failure to register
The most common error is using a mark without registration, relying on “common law” rights. While Greek law provides limited protection for unregistered marks with established reputation, this protection is far weaker than registration.
Inadequate Searching
Filing without comprehensive searches wastes resources if the mark conflicts with earlier rights and must be abandoned. Invest in proper searches before committing to a brand name or filing.
Descriptive Marks
Choosing purely descriptive marks creates registration difficulties and weak protection. Invest in distinctive branding rather than settling for generic descriptive names.
Failure to monitor use
Many businesses fail to maintain evidence of use, creating vulnerability to cancellation challenges. Systematically collect and preserve evidence of use from day one.
Ignoring deadlines
Missing renewal deadlines, office action response deadlines, or opposition deadlines can result in loss of rights. Implement docket systems or engage professionals to manage deadlines.
Tolerating Infringement
Allowing third parties to use confusingly similar marks without challenge weakens enforcement ability and may be construed as acquiescence (implied permission). Police your marks diligently and take action against infringers promptly.
Inadequate Quality Control in Licensing
Trademark licenses without adequate quality control provisions can result in loss of trademark rights. The “naked licensing” doctrine holds that if a licensor doesn’t control the nature and quality of goods/services bearing the mark, the mark loses its source-identifying function and may be cancelled.
Failure to Update Registrations
Business names, addresses, or ownership change over time. Failing to update trademark registrations can create procedural complications or prevent effective enforcement. Record all changes with OBI promptly.
Licensing and Transfer
Trademarks can be licensed to third parties (common in Greece for franchise operations, branded retail, and hospitality concepts) or transferred outright through assignment. Licence agreements should be carefully drafted to address territory, exclusivity, quality control, royalties, and termination. Assignments should be recorded with OBI or EUIPO to be effective against third parties.
why file with us
Personalized consultation
01
Brand strategy
We map whether to file Greek, EU, and/or Madrid based on your markets, budget, and risk.
02
Drafting that sticks
We craft precise specs to avoid needless refusals, while keeping room to grow.
03
Prosecution & oppositions
We handle examiner objections, oppositions, and settlements (coexistence agreements where wise).
04
Commercialisation
Licences, assignments, franchise bundles, and recordals to keep chains of title clean.
05
Watching & policing
Ongoing watch services and takedowns; when needed.
06
Enforcement
Preliminary injunctions, seizures, damages, destruction of infringing goods, and information orders before the civil courts under the modernised Greek framework (Law 4679/2020, as amended).
How We Help
We advise foreign businesses on trademark strategy in Greece and across the EU – from initial clearance searches and registration through ongoing portfolio management, enforcement, and commercial exploitation. Whether you’re entering the Greek market for the first time, expanding an existing portfolio, or dealing with an infringement issue, we handle the legal work and coordinate with the relevant offices on your behalf.
Contact us before you launch in Greece. Protecting your brand early is simple and inexpensive. Recovering it later – if someone else registers it first – is neither.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a company in Greece to file?
No. Foreign individuals and entities can file; we act as your representative.
Should I file in Greece or at EUIPO?
If you trade EU-wide, an EUTM can be efficient. If your use is Greece-focused or the EU route is risky due to conflicts, a Greek filing may be safer. We often run both, staggered.
Can I add classes later?
What if my brand is descriptive?
Descriptive terms face objections. We may propose a distinctive logo, disclaimers, or a re-brand element that passes muster while keeping your commercial identity.
How long before I can use ®?
Use ™ anytime. Use ® once the mark is registered (jurisdiction-specific rules apply).
Will I face an opposition?
This depends on your mark and its originality. We manage clearance to reduce risk, then handle oppositions via argument, limitation, coexistence, or settlement.
Can I license or assign my mark?
Yes. We draft licence/assignment agreements and record them so they’re enforceable against third parties.
Contact us today for a free initial discussion
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