Intellectual Property Law Of Germany - Trade Marks And Service Marks

A trade mark is used to distinguish goods or services of one person from those of others. Apart from trade marks, Germany also accepts collective marks and certification marks. Those signs which can be protected by the trademark law include: wording including personal names, designs, letters, numerals and noteworthy, acoustical signs and three-dimensional configurations. Appellations of geographical origins can be registered as well. Marks including national emblems, official test marks, signs of quality and identifications of international intergovernmental bodies, and those marks without distinction cannot be registered. Apart from registered trademarks, German trademark law also protects those marks which have acquired prominence through actual use in the course of trade, those well-known marks within the meaning of Article 6bis of the Paris Convention, and those company symbols and titles of works which can be considered as trade designations.