Private traders applying for a trademark

We quite often receive applications in which the name of the applicant is incorrect. We therefore want to remind you that, whatever your company name may be, you should use either

- your own name or
- the following form: Surname, First name, as the proprietor of company name XXX.

This is because a private trader's company name alone as registered in the Trade Register cannot be accepted as an applicant for a trademark; the name is not a legal person, and can thus be neither an applicant for nor a proprietor of a trademark. For the proposed trademark, it does not make any difference which of the two forms you choose to use.

Please note that such errors will delay the processing of applications.