Community Trade Mark (CTM) fee reductions as of May 01, 2009, have now been confirmed by OHIM.

Reduction in Community Trade Mark Fees

Reductions overall of 40% have been approved by the Commission, and will be effective as of May 01, 2009.

This is implemented as an increase in the filing fee, with abolition of the registration fee.

The official fee changes are as follows:

Community trade mark applicationsCurrent fee (€)New fee (€)*
CTM application fee (paper) 900 1050
CTM application fee (e-filing) 750 900
CTM application fee – collective mark 1300 1800
CTM registration fee 850 0
CTM registration class fee 150 0
CTM registration fee – collective mark 1700 0
CTM registration class fee – collective mark 300 0
Addition fee for late payment of registration fee 25% (max 750) 0
International trade mark applications
Madrid Protocol registration fee
1450 870
Madrid Protocol registration class fee 300 150
Madrid Protocol fee – collective mark 2700 1620
Madrid Protocol class fee – collective mark 600 300

The new Madrid fees become effective 3 months after the Commission notifies WIPO, i.e. 3 months after the effective date. During those 3 months, Madrid applicants will continue to pay the old fees. If protection is refused for one of those applications, OHIM will refund a portion of the fees according to today’s rules. Once the new Madrid fees come into effect, there will be no refunds in the event of refusal.

The most relevant of these changes are summarised below:

  • The official fees for filing a CTM online covering up to 3 classes currently amount to €750. As from the relevant date, the filing fees will increase slightly to €900 but this will be far outweighed (see below) by the abolition of the registration fees;
  • The official registration fees for a CTM covering up to 3 classes are currently €850. However, as from the relevant date, these will no longer be payable;
  • Therefore, the total official fees for a CTM (including filing and registration fees) will decrease from €1600 to €900, as of the relevant date.
  • If you have pending CTMs, where at the relevant date you have not yet received a notification from OHIM asking for payment of the registration fees, then no registration fees will be payable, so the total official fees for the CTM will be €750; and
  • All additional class fees at filing remain at €150.

Article Published April 24th, 2009