Article 6 of Industrial Property Code ("IPC") numbered
6769, which was entered into force on January 10, 2017, regulates
relative grounds for refusal in trademark registrations. This
Article aims to protect the rights of those who have been so
entitled prior to the trademark application. Since, contrary to
absolute grounds for refusal, in the case of relative grounds for
refusal, there is no situation that concerns the public interest,
the grounds are not taken into account by the Turkish Patent and
Trademark Office ("Office") ex officio, but are examined
on objection.
Pursuant to Article 18 of the IPC, "relevant persons"
may submit oppositions to the Office within two months of the
publication of the trademark, on the grounds that the trademark
application published in the Bulletin is contrary to absolute and
relative grounds. Relevant persons should be understood as
registered trademark owners, trademark application owners, persons
who use the subject trademark
