Trademark issue

[Takwa]

Just want to know is Trademark follow a country or worldwide? e.g a american company's brand name not trading in the UK, can I take the .co.uk domain name?

 

[doodlebug]

I have read up quite a bit on trademarks and still trying to get my head round it but my understanding is that it's fine to use say an American brand as long as they don't have a trademark registered in the uk or use it for marketing in the uk and also you don't specifically target the American market via tinternet.
Still i would have a read on tinternet yourself.

p.s, here's some parecetamol for the headache caused by trying to understand trademark issues ???

 

[philipp]

As I recall, there are three major types of trademark: regional ones like the UK's own ipo.gov.uk; global ones under the Madrid system with I believe some kind of authorisation from WIPO, and the CTM or Community Trademark System which is valid for Europe only.

If you are just starting out I understand the route of least resistance is to obtain a relatively local mark and then go on from there; but for a trademark to remain valid even once it's registered I believe you have to make a reasonable amount of use of it. I'm not sure what constitutes 'reasonable' either. Oh and TM agents are sharks IMHO.

Also with regard to the OP you might as well prepare for a spanking if you're planning on infringing a well known one

Cheers,

P.