Guide · Renewal
How to renew an EU trade mark.
Updated:
Reviewed by an AstroLegal lawyer qualified in the EEA.
An EU trade mark is registered for ten years from the filing date and can be renewed for further periods of ten years, without limit (Articles 52 and 53 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001). The renewal is requested and the EUIPO fee paid in the six months before expiry. If you miss that window, you have six more months with a 25% surcharge; after that, the trade mark is removed from the register.
When does an EU trade mark expire?
Ten years after the filing date, not the registration date. A trade mark filed on 15 March 2016 expires on 15 March 2026, even if it was registered months after filing.
The EUIPO informs the owner before the expiry date, but if the notice does not arrive the deadline stays the same (Article 53(2)). Keep track of the date yourself, or have your representative do it.
How much does renewal cost?
The EUIPO fee for renewing online is €850 for one class, €50 for the second class and €150 for each class from the third. The fee is paid directly to the EUIPO. Renewal in the grace period adds a surcharge of 25% of the renewal fee, up to a maximum of €1,500.
Beware of letters and invoices from private companies offering to renew your trade mark or to list it in a register: they are not sent by the EUIPO, which does not issue invoices for renewal.
Who can request the renewal?
The owner of the trade mark or any person expressly authorised by the owner (Article 53(1)). Under the EUIPO Guidelines, the renewal request can be filed without a representative, even by an owner based outside the European Economic Area.
Can you renew only part of a trade mark?
Yes. You can renew the trade mark for some of its goods and services only: those not renewed are removed from the registration. It is a way to drop classes you no longer need, since the fee is calculated for each class renewed.
What happens if you miss the grace period?
The trade mark is removed from the register, with effect from the day after the original expiry date. Only in exceptional cases can the owner have it restored, through restitutio in integrum (Article 104): the owner must show that the deadline was missed in spite of all due care, and apply within strict time limits.
Before renewing: is the trade mark in use?
The renewal does not check whether the trade mark is used. But a trade mark not put to genuine use in the EU for five consecutive years can be revoked at the request of anyone (Articles 18 and 58). The renewal is a good moment to check that the registration still matches what you sell.
How does AstroLegal handle renewals?
Every AstroLegal maintenance plan includes monitoring of the renewal deadline, so the expiry date never comes as a surprise. For an existing EU trade mark, a lawyer carries out a free prescreening: they check the register and tell you which plan fits. Prices are in the annual plans and on the EU trade mark costs page.