Croatia will join European Union on July 1, 2013 - Community Trademarks & Designs will then cover 28 countries

On July 1, 2013 Croatia, with its approx. 4.5 million inhabitants will become the 28th Member of the European Union (EU). Therefore, the EU will be enlarged for the seventh time since its establishment in the year 1957. What are the consequences for holders of Community Trademarks (CTMs) and Community Designs (CDs)? 1. Automatic extension of the CTMs and CDs to Croatia (same mechanism as with the previous EU Enlargements in 2004 and 2007). 2. Grandfathering of earlier rights. 3. Exceptional right to opposition: CTMs filed between January 1 - June 3o, 2013 can be subject to oppositions based on earlier rights in Croatia according to Article 165 Community Trademark Regulation (CTMR). For more information please be referred to the website of the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM), the responsible office for the application and registration of Community Trademarks and Designs which has posted various information and links concerning the EU Enlargement and Croatia's Accession, including: President's OHIM Communication and the OHIM Manual explaining the Enlargement.