Trademark Registration in Turkey
Turkey is a member of the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, the Madrid Agreement for the Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods, the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Documents Required for Trademark Registration
- Trademark specimen
- Specific goods/services
- Applicant's name and address
- Power of Attorney
- Priority document and its Turkish translation (if priority is claimed)
Trademark Registration Process
- Application Submission
- Formal Examination: If deficiencies are found, the examiner will allow the applicant 2 months to make corrections. Failure to respond within the specified period will result in the cancellation of the application.
- Substantive Examination: If the examiner deems the application should be refused, a refusal notice will be issued. The applicant may file a written appeal for re-examination and re-evaluation with the relevant committee within 2 months from the date of receiving the refusal decision. If the refusal is upheld, the applicant may file a lawsuit with the Intellectual Property Court to annul the decision within 2 months.
- Publication: After passing examination, the trademark will be published in the official gazette. Any third party may file an opposition within 2 months from the publication date. The Turkish Trademark Office has a dedicated opposition department to handle such cases.
- Registration
Important Notes
- Turkish trademarks follow the Nice Classification system and accept multi-class applications.
- Applicants not residing in Turkey must appoint a local Turkish agent to handle the application.
- If a registered trademark in Turkey has not been used for 5 consecutive years, any party may apply for its cancellation (except in cases of force majeure).
Validity Period and Renewal
A Turkish trademark is valid for 10 years from the filing date. Renewal can be filed within 6 months before expiration, with a 6-month grace period. Each renewal extends the validity by 10 years.