TRADEMARK APPLICATION FILING IN
Greece

The Hellenic Industrial Property Organization (OBI) is the official body responsible for handling trademark registrations in Greece. It serves as the country’s sole legal authority for the protection of inventions, industrial designs, and trademarks. Beyond its registration duties, OBI also plays a vital role in promoting technological innovation and supporting industrial development across the nation.

Greece follows a “first-to-file” system for trademark registration, meaning rights are granted to the first person or entity to submit an application. All trademarks must comply with the provisions of Greece’s Trademarks Law.

The trademark registration before the Hellenic Industrial Property Organization (OBI) can either be filed through and online portal or via offline mode.

Multi-class applications are allowed by the Hellenic Industrial Property Organization (OBI).

The requirements for filing a trademark application are as follows:

• Name, nationality, and address of the applicant;
• Mark representation (logo/device/word, etc.);
• Descriptions of goods and/or services;
• Power of Attorney *;

* A simply signed or stamped POA must be filed;

• Certified priority document*;
• *If priority is being claimed, a Certified Priority Document must be submitted within three months of the filing date along with a translation into Greek.

The process of registering a trademark in Greece commences with the submission of the application. Once TM application is filed, the application undergoes a formal examination to ensure it meets all the required standards. Thereafter, a filing date along with the number for the mark applied will be provided. Following this, the application is subjected to a substantive examination based on absolute grounds for refusal, where examiners assess the trademark's eligibility for registration. If any issues or discrepancies are identified during the evaluation, the OBI will notify to the applicant and provide two-month time to reply issued office action/examination report. If no issues are found, or once corrections are made, the application moves forward and the trademark then publish in the Trademark Bulletin, initiating a three month opposition period. During this time, third parties have the opportunity to raise objection/opposition to the application.

If no opposition is filed within said timeline, or if opposition is resolved in favor of the applicant, the trademark is officially registered, and a registration certificate is issued.

Opposition proceedings begin when an opponent files a notice of opposition along with the grounds of opposition. The applicant receive this notice, and the OBI will assess its admissibility.  The office may request additional evidence before making a decision. The then make a decision on whether to accept or reject the application.

A trademark registration in Greece is valid for a period of ten years. The trademark must be renewed before the end of six months of the current term to maintain protection for an additional ten years.

However, if the renewal is not submitted on time, it can still be processed within six months after the expiration date with the requisite penalty.

A registered trademark must be actively used within five years of its registration. If the trademark is not used continuously during this period, it may be subject to cancellation following a request from a third party.

Typically, the trademark registration process in Greece takes six to eight months in straightforward cases.

Greece is gaining traction on the global trademark stage. As reported by the World Intellectual Property Organization, international trademark filings in the country rising by 2% in 2023, while domestic filings saw a notable 9.4% increase signalling growing brand awareness and legal foresight among Greek businesses.

At the same time, Leading global economies such as China, the United States, and the United Kingdom are increasingly registering their trademarks in Greece to strengthen their business presence and legal standing. This growing interest has fuelled a 35.6% surge in foreign trademark filings from Greece under the Madrid System, marking a significant step in the country’s expanding role in global intellectual property networks.