Retaining protection in the UK for EU intellectual property rights

Guide

Last updated 13 August 2021

The Transition Period relating to the UK's exit from the European Union ended on 31 December 2020. From 1 January 2021, all existing EU Trade Marks (EUTM), Registered Community Designs (RCDs) and International Registrations designating the EU only cover the remaining 27 EU Member States.

These registered rights no longer provide protection in the UK.

On 1 January 2021, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has created a re-registered UK design for every Registered Community design (RCD) and every International design (EU), a comparable UK trade mark for every registered EU trade mark (EUTM) and every International trade mark (EU) that are protected at the end of the transition period.

The new UK rights are treated as if they had been applied for and registered under UK law.

If you were the registered owner of an EUTM, RCD or International Registration designating the EU immediately prior to 11pm on 31 December 2020, you now have a comparable UK right.

The IPO has provided some guidance on how to find information relating to your new right, as well as how to opt out and renew your new right. They have also provided links to further guidance on the new rights.

UK registration numbers for the equivalent rights

Trade Marks

The IPO has created new UK trade mark numbers for the comparable rights by:

  • taking the last eight digits of the existing EU Trade Mark number prefixed with 'UK009'
  • the existing International Registrations designating the EU number prefixed with 'UK008'

You can find the details of your comparable UK trade mark on the Search for a trade mark service(link is external) on GOV.UK. The IPO recommends that you check your right.

Examples of new comparable UK trade mark numbers:

Existing EU Trade Mark number Comparable UK trade mark number
Existing EU Trade Mark number 000000977 Comparable UK trade mark number UK00900000977
Existing EU Trade Mark number 017867542 Comparable UK trade mark number UK00917867542

Existing International Registrations designating the EU Comparable UK trade mark number
Existing International Registrations designating the EU 11145048 Comparable UK trade mark number UK00811145048
Existing International Registrations designating the EU 11145112 Comparable UK trade mark number UK00811145112

Registered Designs

The IPO has created new UK registered designs numbers for the re-registered right by:

  • taking the existing registered Community design number prefixed with '9'
  • taking the existing International Registrations designating the EU number and Design View number prefixed with '8' and adding zeros to make it a 14 digit number

You can find the details of your re-registered design on the Find a registered design service(link is external) on GOV.UK. The IPO recommends that you check your right.

Examples of new re-registered UK design numbers:

Existing registered Community design number Re-registered UK design number
Existing registered Community design number 004048098-0004 Re-registered UK design number 90040480980004
Existing registered Community design number 000000021-0001 Re-registered UK design number 90000000210001

International Registration Number (WIPO) Design number (Design View) Re-registered UK design number
International Registration Number (WIPO) DM/069 640 Design number (Design View) D069640-0004 Re-registered UK design number 80696400004000
International Registration Number (WIPO) DM/069 629 Design number (Design View) D069629-0002 Re-registered UK design number 80696290002000

Opting out of a comparable UK registration

You can opt out if you do not want this comparable UK trade mark or re-registered design. Use the following forms to inform IPO that you do not want your comparable right to be registered in the United Kingdom:

Renewing a UK right
All comparable trade marks and re-registered designs will be subject to renewal in the UK. Where renewal is due after the transition end date 31 December 2020, the IPO will send you a letter explaining the steps needed to renew the new UK right.

Further information


First published 4 January 2021