The EUIPO and EURid, the domain name registry for the .eu, .ею and .ευ top-level domains, are set to intensify collaboration to support trade mark and domain name applicants and owners, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
This collaboration will support users of the EU IP system, particularly startups, by helping them to obtain trade mark and domain name protection in a joined-up manner, so they can secure their brands from the very beginning of their business journey.
At present, EU trade mark applicants are advised whether their trade mark is available as a .eu domain name at the end of the online application process at EUIPO. Applicants and holders can also set up alerts to be informed once a .eu domain name that matches their trade mark is registered.
Under a new work programme agreed jointly by the two organisations, the EUIPO and EURid will explore the possibility of implementing a reciprocal process when a .eu domain name is registered, allowing holders to see if a trade mark with a similar name is available at the EUIPO.
Additionally, both organisations will work on a common study on application behaviour, to see whether trade marks or domain names are registered first. The study will assist in tackling fraudulent domain names and registrations done in bad faith. Work will also begin on a feasibility study to create a tool to inform users of the availability of the terms they are searching for both as a trade mark and as a domain name.
With outreach to SMEs at the heart of the EUIPO’s Strategic Plan 2025, information from EURid on domain names will be integrated into a planned chatbot for SMEs, as well as into discovery guides and webinars, to further guide smaller companies towards an integrated brand protection scheme.v
Source: (https://euipo.europa.eu/)
