Trade marks
Romanian trade marks
National trade mark protection in Romania is granted by OSIM, the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks, under Law no. 84/1998.
What this covers
Availability searches and clearance advice; preparation and filing; representation through examination; responses to office actions; opposition and renewal. We act on direct national filings and on the Romanian designation of an international registration.
The procedure
OSIM examines an application on absolute grounds (distinctiveness, descriptiveness and the other statutory bars) and publishes accepted applications in the Official Industrial Property Bulletin (BOPI). OSIM does not refuse on relative grounds of its own motion — earlier rights are asserted by opposition, which any interested party may file within two months of publication.
If no opposition is filed, or an opposition is overcome, the mark proceeds to registration. Protection runs for ten years from filing and is renewable indefinitely for further ten-year periods. Paris priority may be claimed within six months of a first filing abroad.
How we are instructed
We acknowledge instructions on receipt, confirm filing requirements and the goods/services specification under the Nice Classification, and report each stage. Because OSIM clears only absolute grounds, we also advise on watch and opposition strategy so earlier rights are actually enforced.
Common questions
- Does OSIM check for earlier identical or similar marks?
- No. OSIM examines absolute grounds only; conflicts with earlier marks are raised by opposition. A pre-filing search is therefore strongly advisable.
- What is the opposition window?
- Two months from publication in BOPI.