We expect the UK to leave the EU on 31 December 2020.

The date of 31.12.2020 is crucial to those entrepreneurs who have business or to those who are willing to have business in the UK. Given the worldwide crisis due to COVID-19, this period is likely to be extended.

However, to keep your rights safe and secure, we are willing to draw your attention to the following key points:

1. A proprietor of an EU trade mark registered before 31.12.2020 will automatically gain a corresponding registered UK trade mark free of charge and without any application procedure.

2. A pending EU trademark application will not automatically trigger a corresponding UK application after 31.12.2020. Applicants will have to file a new trademark application in the UK.

To avoid the need for filing a new application in the UK, we advise filing new EU trademark applications no later than June -July this year.

The same applies to European Community Designs; the only difference is that Designs are registered much faster than EU trademarks.

PETERSONA PATENTS – AAA LAW monitors their client’s intellectual property rights and will take all necessary steps to ensure that clients’ rights are preserved and maintained in the UK. If any advise is required, please contact our specialists.