EU Trademarks | Absolute And Relative Grounds For Refusal Or Invalidity - Wordmark Analysis

Due to the increasingly competitive nature of business, entrepreneurs and companies are looking to differentiate themselves from their competitors, by securing and protecting their trademarks and brands, which serve to identify their products or services. By registering a trademark, the owner is capable of pursuing legal action if someone uses his/her/its trademark without prior authorisation. Further, during the application for the registration of a trademark, an existing trademark owner may oppose to such application if it adversely affects his/her/its own sign. Furthermore, according to Article 3 of EU Directive 2015/2436 (hereinafter the 'EU Directive') " trademark may consist of any signs, in particular words, including personal names, or designs, letters, numerals, colours, the shape of goods or the packaging of goods or sounds provided that such signs are capable of: