How to Search the EUIPO Trademark Database
To search EU trademarks, go to TMview at tmdn.org/tmview, the official search tool hosted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), also reachable from euipo.europa.eu. Enter a word, logo, or Nice classification term in the search field. TMview covers EU trade marks (EUTMs), international registrations, and records from participating national IP offices. Results show live applications, registered marks, and their status. For any filing decision, consult a qualified trademark attorney.
Updated July 2026
What Is the EUIPO and Why Search It
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is the EU agency responsible for registering EU trade marks and designs. A single EUTM registration covers all 27 EU member states. Because one registration covers the entire European Union, conflicts surface across the whole bloc at once.
Searching the EUIPO database before filing is essential. Any registered mark or pending application with an earlier filing date can block your application or form the basis of an opposition. The opposition period is three months from the date of publication in the EUIPO Official Journal. Checking early avoids wasted filing fees and rebranding costs later.
How to Use TMview Step by Step
TMview is the primary trade mark search tool for the EUIPO and is operated as part of the EUIPN (European Union Intellectual Property Network). It aggregates records from the EUIPO, WIPO international registrations, and EU national IP offices.
Follow these steps to conduct a trade mark search:
- Go to TMview. Open tmdn.org/tmview in your browser, or follow the TMview link from euipo.europa.eu.
- Choose your search type. Select from word, wordmark, figurative (logo), color, or shape criteria in the search field.
- Enter your search criteria. For a verbal mark, type the exact string. Use phonetic or fuzzy options to catch near matches. For goods and services, add the relevant Nice class.
- Filter by office. You can limit results to EUIPO (EUTMs), WIPO international registrations, or EU national trade mark offices via the participating offices tab.
- Review results. Each result shows the mark, its current status (application, registered, or expired), the filing date, goods and services covered, and priority or seniority information.
- Download or save. TMview lets you retrieve individual records as PDF or export result sets for review.
Nice Classification and TMclass
The European Union uses the Nice Classification system. Goods and services are divided into 45 Nice classes. A trade mark application must specify the class or classes covering the applicant's goods and services, and protection is limited to those classes. This matters when you search: a mark registered in Class 9 (software) does not automatically block you in Class 25 (clothing), though well-known marks can have broader reach.
TMclass is the EUIPO's companion classification tool. Use it to identify the correct Nice class for your goods or service before searching or filing. Accurate classification keeps your search criteria tight and your application form correct.
For a broader pre-filing screen that covers both the USPTO (US) and EUIPO registries at once, including exact, phonetic, and fuzzy matching, the Name Check tool on this site screens a name against both registries alongside a domain and linguistic check. It is an automated search, not a legal clearance opinion.
EUIPO Search vs. a Full Knockout Search
A TMview search covers EU trade marks and participating offices, but it has limits. It does not search unregistered rights, common-law use, company names, or domain registrations. For a startup, a proper knockout trademark search layers the EUIPO and USPTO databases, a domain availability check, and a phonetic conflict scan before any filing decision is made.
If you are naming a new company, it helps to run a domain check alongside the trademark search. A .com that is already taken by a third party can signal an existing brand even if no trademark has been filed. See the notes on choosing between domain extensions if the .com is unavailable.
Always bring ambiguous results to a qualified trademark attorney. Automated searches surface potential conflicts; only an attorney can give a clearance opinion and advise on filing strategy.
Filing an EU Trade Mark Application
Once searching confirms no obvious conflicts, an EU trade mark application is filed directly with the EUIPO through its online application form. A single EUTM filing covers all EU member states. You do not need to file separately in each country. For protection outside the EU, a separate application or a WIPO international registration under the Madrid Protocol is required.
After publication, third parties have a three-month opposition period to file an opposition based on earlier rights. If no opposition is filed or all oppositions are resolved, the mark proceeds to registration. Rights established by having a registered EUTM include the exclusive right to use the mark for the registered goods and services across the EU and the right to take legal action against infringers.
For context on when and whether to file at all, the guide on whether your startup needs a trademark covers the decision factors in plain terms.
Questions, answered
How do I search for trademarks in EUIPO?
Go to TMview at tmdn.org/tmview, the EUIPO-hosted search tool, also reachable from euipo.europa.eu. Enter a word, logo description, or Nice class in the search field, select the EUIPO or all participating offices, and review the results. Each record shows the mark's status, filing date, and goods and services covered.
How do I search to see if a name is trademarked?
Search TMview for the EU and the USPTO's Trademark Search system (tmsearch.uspto.gov) for the US. Enter the exact word, then run phonetic and fuzzy variants. Filter by the relevant Nice class covering your goods or service. Flag any live or pending mark with a similar name in the same class for attorney review.
Can a trademark application be opposed?
Yes. After a trade mark application is published in the EUIPO Official Journal, any party with earlier rights has a three-month opposition period to file an opposition. If the opposition succeeds, the application can be refused or limited to specific goods and services.
How long is the opposition period?
The opposition period at the EUIPO is three months from the date of publication of the trade mark application in the Official Journal.
Does the European Union use the Nice Classification system?
Yes. EU trade mark applications must classify goods and services using the Nice Classification system, which covers 45 classes. TMclass is the EUIPO's tool for identifying the correct class before filing.
Does having a registered EU trademark give me any rights?
Yes. A registered EUTM gives the holder the exclusive right to use the mark for the registered goods and services across all EU member states, the right to prevent third parties from using a confusingly similar sign, and the right to take legal action against infringers. It does not grant rights for goods or services outside the registered classes or for territory outside the EU.
Keep going
- How to Check a Startup Name: .com and Trademark Search
- Knockout Trademark Search: What It Is and How to Do One
- A Namelix alternative that checks the trademark, not just the domain
- Namify alternative: an available .com and a live US and EU trademark screen
Trademark results are an automated database search against the USPTO and EUIPO registries, not legal advice and not a clearance opinion. Registries change daily; results are dated. Before filing, have counsel run full clearance.