Trademark Registration: why protection is essential for every business

Austėja Dimaitytė
May 6
2 min read

Are you planning to introduce a new product or service to the market?

Whatever stage your business is at, trademark registration is one of the most important steps to protect your uniqueness and earn customer trust.

What is a trademark and why is its registration important?

A trademark can be any sign whose primary function is to distinguish one person’s goods or services from those of another. It can be entered in the Register of Trademarks of the Republic of Lithuania so that the competent authorities and the public can clearly and precisely identify the object of protection granted to the owner of the mark.

According to this distinguishing function, marks may be intended only for goods (trademark), only for services (service mark), or for both goods and services (combined mark). In practice, however, the term “trademark” is traditionally used as a general term for marks intended both for goods and for services.

Requirements for trademark registration

A mark is registered if it meets the absolute requirements applicable to it:

The sign must be distinctive and not have become generic.
It must not be descriptive.
It must not conflict with public order or morality.
It must not use official symbols of the Republic of Lithuania or other states without the permission of the competent authority, and so on.

Compliance with these requirements is examined by the State Patent Bureau. A mark will not be registered, or its registration may be challenged after registration, if the mark infringes the earlier rights of other persons, e.g. the rights of the owner of an earlier trademark.

Only the owner of a properly registered trademark acquires exclusive rights to the mark.

These rights can be:

Transferred to other persons
Licensed for use
Pledged, among other things

The registration is valid for 10 years from the filing date of the application and can be renewed every 10 years upon payment of the relevant fees.

A trademark is a territorial object of protection. Therefore, a trademark registered with the State Patent Bureau is valid only in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. If protection throughout the European Union is desired, the mark can be registered as a European Union trademark.

Financial support for your company’s intellectual property: the EU SME Fund

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) will continue the Small and Medium‑Sized Enterprises Fund (SME Fund) in 2025. The SME Fund provides financial support to SMEs that wish to protect and effectively manage their intellectual property.

In the digital age, it is essential to protect your intellectual property. This is an excellent legal way to avoid copying and unauthorised use of your unique ideas, products or services.

Intellectual property protection through the SME Fund can be applied to many different assets, including trademarks, designs, patents and plant varieties. This is a great opportunity to obtain financial support and assistance for trademark registration. More information – here.

Want more information or ready to start the process?

ExpertLab lawyers can help you understand your rights and opportunities and provide advice on compensation for trademark registration. Our goal is to help you safeguard the uniqueness of your business so that you can continue to develop your activities successfully.