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Trademark filing · Austria, EU & international

File your trademark.
Securely. Transparently. Fast.

A trademark is a sign that distinguishes your business from others. Only with registration in the trademark register do you obtain an exclusive right — so act early.

We develop your trademark strategy, assess risks through searches, calibrate the scope of protection to your business model, and file the mark in the right way — nationally, EU-wide or with international extension.

  • free initial consultation
  • transparent flat fee
Recognised 2025 / 2026
  • TOP2026 DER STANDARD · Statista TOP Law Firm 2026 — Trademark & Unfair Competition Law
  • JUVE Ranking IP/IT 2025 JUVE Ranking IP/IT Ranked 2025 — Trademark & Unfair Competition Law
  • AI Awards 2025 — Leading Trademark Lawyers of the Year Badge AI Awards 2025 Leading Trademark Lawyers of the Year — Austria

Three steps to a registered trademark

Trademark filings look simple. But filing without a proper search, with a scope of protection that's too narrow or too broad, or in the wrong territory, risks problems at registration, a scope that doesn't actually support your business, or costly disputes years down the line. We keep the free initial consultation strictly separate from the further steps — those only follow if you actually engage us after the call.

  1. 01

    Free initial consultation

    Before anything is filed, we clarify together: is the proposed word, logo or sign actually capable of protection? What's the budget? Where is the journey going — Austrian mark first, EU mark, and later international?

    The consultation is free and non-binding. Only after the call do you decide whether to engage us.

  2. 02

    Search, specification & filing strategy

    Once you engage us, we begin with a similarity search and draft a goods-and-services specification tailored to your business model. We then decide together on the optimal filing strategy — Austria, EU or international, adjusted to your business model, expansion plans and budget.

  3. 03

    Registration & ongoing protection

    We file at the Austrian Patent Office, the EUIPO or via WIPO, see the procedure through to registration, and then handle term monitoring, timely renewals and defence against infringement — from cease-and-desist letters to preliminary injunctions.

Three types of trademarks, one shared protection

In principle, any sign that can be represented graphically can be a trademark — provided it has distinctive character. The three forms below are the most common; in addition, special forms such as 3D, sound or motion marks are also possible.

Word mark

Protects the sequence of letters — regardless of font, colour or style. Maximum flexibility.

Combined word/figurative mark

Protects the concrete graphic design including the word elements — your logo with all its design elements.

Figurative mark

Protects purely graphic signs without text elements — e.g. symbols or emblems.

  • 500+ trademark filings since 2005
  • 20+ years specialisation in trademark law
  • ÖPA · EUIPO · WIPO regular representation before all filing offices

Austria, EU or international — decided strategically

The choice of geographic scope is an interplay of factors: business model, medium-term expansion plans, where the goods or services are actually offered — and not least the budget. What makes sense in any individual case we clarify in the free initial consultation. Here are the three routes in overview.

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European Union

The EU trademark covers all 27 EU member states with a single filing, registered at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Particularly useful if you want to enrol your trademark into the Amazon Brand Registry quickly or operate an EU-wide business model. With EU filings, the risk of objections from holders of earlier rights is higher.

Recommended for: online retail, EU-wide business models, Amazon Marketplace and comparable platforms
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International (WIPO)

Through the WIPO Madrid System, a single filing can obtain protection in over 90 member states. Prerequisite is a national or EU trademark as the base mark. The international filing should be made within six months of filing the base mark so that priority transfers to the international filing as well. Useful when your target markets are clear and the business model is internationally oriented.

Recommended for: export businesses, international expansion, protection against trademark squatters in distant markets

You pay only what's been agreed

For trademark filings we charge a flat fee based on our price list, which we communicate concretely for your specific filing before any engagement. On top come the Patent Office / authority fees — these depend on the territorial scope and the number of goods and services classes.

Our current price list “Trademark filing and trademark protection — services, fees and official charges” is available on request or as a PDF download (English version available).

Two attorneys, one mandate.

Dr. Bernhard Tonninger and Mag. Dr. Markus Albrecht working on a shared mandate
Your contacts

Dr. Bernhard Tonninger

Attorney-at-Law · Partner

Over two decades of practical experience in trademark law. Focus on intellectual property, copyright and unfair-competition law. Co-author of the Manz comprehensive commentary marken.schutz; regular representation before the Austrian Patent Office, the EUIPO, WIPO and the courts.

Mag. Dr. Markus Albrecht

Attorney-at-Law · Partner

Partner with focus on trademark, unfair-competition and copyright law. Co-author of the upcoming new edition of the Manz comprehensive commentary marken.schutz; handles trademark mandates from the first phone call through search and filing to international registration via WIPO.

Both know every mandate — so even when one is on holiday or in court, there's always someone in the firm who knows your case.

What clients want to know about trademark filing

What does a trademark filing cost?
The cost is made up of the Patent Office / authority fees (depending on the territorial scope and the number of goods and services classes) and our flat fee. For filing an Austrian base trademark, our flat fee starts at €600 net plus the official fees. You'll receive a precise breakdown on the basis of the initial consultation, before any engagement. Our flat fees also follow our published price list.
What's included in the flat fee?
Our flat fee for a trademark filing covers advice on the filing strategy, a basic similarity search, drafting a goods-and-services specification tailored to your business model, filing with the relevant office, and handling the procedure through to registration. In addition, we remain on record as your representative in the trademark register for the full ten-year term of protection and notify you in time when the term needs to be renewed. Not included: the Patent Office / authority fees (charged separately) as well as opposition representation or handling of substantial objections, for which we agree a separate fee before starting any work. The detailed scope is set out in our price list.
How long does a trademark filing take?
We treat trademark filings as a priority, because the filing date determines the priority of the mark. At the Austrian Patent Office, registration occurs — assuming everything is in order — within a few days after a successful formal examination. At the EUIPO, registration is preceded by publication and an opposition period; in the best case, i.e. without oppositions or objections, registration takes four to six months. That's also why it can make sense to start with the Austrian base trademark.
Do I need a trademark search before filing?
Filing a trademark without any search would be grossly negligent. A basic similarity search is essential — and is included in our flat fee anyway. It uncovers identical or similar trademarks already on the register that could obstruct your filing and prevents costly conflicts after registration. In specific cases a deeper search is advisable. We carry out similarity searches at national, European and international level.
Word mark or combined word/figurative mark — what makes more sense?
A word mark protects only the sequence of letters — irrespective of font. A combined word/figurative mark protects the concrete graphic design (logo) including the word elements. It's often advisable to file both variants in parallel because their scopes of protection complement each other. Ultimately it's also a question of budget, since this doubles the costs. We'll advise you on the right strategy and find the optimal solution within your budget.
Should I file only in Austria or directly EU-wide?
It often makes sense to first register a trademark as an Austrian base mark and to internationalise its protection later — via WIPO you can extend protection to over 90 further countries. Alternatively, you can file an EU trademark directly. If you want to extend protection beyond the EU, however, it's generally advisable to base the international filing on an Austrian mark rather than on an EU trademark. Which approach is right for your business model is something we'll discuss in the initial consultation.

Ready to protect your trademark?

In a short initial consultation we clarify, free of charge, whether and how your trademark is capable of protection — and which territorial scope makes sense for your business.