Guides
Common Communication on the Common Practice of Relative Grounds of Refusal – Likelihood of Confusion (Impact of non-distinctive/weak components)
The trade mark offices of the European Union in their commitment to continue to collaborate in the context of the Convergence Programme through the European Trade Mark and Design Network have agreed on a common practice with regard to the impact of non-distinctive/weak components of marks in the examination of likelihood of confusion (relative grounds).
The common practice is disseminated publicly through a Common Communication with the purpose of further increasing transparency, legal certainty, and predictability for the benefit of examiners and users alike.
The aforementioned common communication is provided.
