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A Trademark Registration is your official proof of ownership for a distinctive brand element in Belgium. When you register with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), you gain exclusive rights to use your mark—like a logo, name, or slogan—throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

This legal protection helps you stop others from copying your brand identity and lasts for 10 years. You can renew it indefinitely as long as you actively use the mark in commerce. The registration also lets you take legal action against counterfeiters and gives you a stronger position when expanding your business across the EU.

Get a Trademark Registration when you're launching a new brand, product name, or logo in Belgium. This protection becomes crucial before you invest heavily in marketing materials, product packaging, or brand expansion—especially if you plan to sell across the Benelux region or expand into other EU markets.

File for registration as soon as you've finalized your brand elements and confirmed they're unique. Timing matters because trademark rights in Belgium go to the first party to register, not the first to use. Many businesses discover this too late, after competitors have already registered similar marks or when they face costly rebranding.

• Trademark Registered Logo: This type of Trademark Registration specifically protects visual brand elements like logos, symbols, or distinctive designs. It requires detailed graphical specifications, color codes, and proportional measurements to ensure comprehensive protection across all visual applications in the Benelux market.
• Word Mark Registration: Protects the text-based elements of your brand, including company names, product names, and slogans, regardless of font or style.
• Combined Mark Registration: Covers both textual and graphical elements together as a single trademark, ideal for logos that incorporate both text and design elements.

• Business Owners and Entrepreneurs: Apply for trademark protection to secure their brand identity and prevent competitors from using similar marks in the Benelux region.
• Intellectual Property Attorneys: Draft and file Trademark Registration applications, conduct searches, and handle legal disputes or oppositions.
• BOIP Officials: Review applications, grant registrations, and maintain the Benelux trademark register.
• Competitors and Market Players: Must respect registered trademarks and can file oppositions during the registration process.
• Customs Authorities: Enforce trademark rights at borders and help prevent counterfeit goods from entering Belgium.

• Trademark Search: Conduct a thorough search of existing marks in the Benelux and EU databases to ensure your mark is unique.
• Mark Details: Prepare clear images for logos (in specified formats) or precise descriptions for word marks, including any color claims.
• Business Information: Gather your company's legal name, address, and registration details for the application.
• Goods and Services: List all products or services you'll use the mark for, classified according to the Nice Classification system.
• Priority Claims: Collect documentation if claiming priority from earlier applications in other countries (must be within 6 months).

• Mark Representation: Clear visual reproduction or precise description of the trademark, including any color claims or special characteristics.
• Applicant Details: Full legal name, address, and business registration information of the trademark owner.
• Nice Classification: Specific listing of goods and services, properly categorized under international classification codes.
• Priority Claims: Documentation of earlier filings if claiming priority rights within the 6-month window.
• Declaration of Use: Statement confirming genuine intent to use the mark in commerce within the Benelux territory.
• Payment Information: Proof of payment for official registration fees to BOIP.

A Trademark Registration differs significantly from a Trademark Agreement. While registration establishes your exclusive rights with the BOIP, a Trademark Agreement governs how others can use your mark through specific contractual terms.

• Legal Protection: Registration provides government-backed protection across the Benelux region, while an agreement only binds the specific parties who sign it.
• Duration: Registration lasts 10 years with renewal options, whereas agreements typically have fixed terms negotiated between parties.
• Enforcement Power: Registration lets you take action against any infringer, but agreements only allow claims against the contract parties.
• Purpose: Registration establishes ownership rights, while agreements manage relationships with licensees, distributors, or partners who want to use your mark.