International Trade mark Search websites for Europe, U.S, Australia, ARIPO, China and South Africa. To avoid infringing on someone else’s trade mark registration, you need to search for similar trade marks that have already been registered, but there is no single website or database to do an international trade mark search.
A Trade mark search will provide an indication of whether there are existing trade marks which are identical or similar to yours. Foreign trade mark searches may also be conducted – please contact us, should you wish to have a search conducted through the trade mark offices of foreign countries. A search has to be conducted to make sure there is no similar or identical trade mark on the register preventing the registration of your trade mark.
Here are the relevant websites for International Trade Mark Searches:
Europe
EU trade marks are registered at the European Union Intellectual Property Office and a single registration covers all 28 member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Link: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/
USA
Trade mark Electronic Search System (TESS) allows you to search the USPTO’s database of registered trade marks and prior pending applications to find marks that may prevent registration. Before you apply for a U.S trade mark, you should search the USPTO’s trade mark database to see if similar marks have already been registered, thus preventing your trade mark from being registered.
Link: http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/
Australia
The Australian Trade Mark On-line Search System (ATMOSS) office provides an electronic database of registered trade marks in Australia. Separate searches need to be performed to find trade marks in the New Zealand database. The examination process is where they check your application to make sure it contains all the correct information and meets legislative requirements.
Link: www.pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au
ARIPO
The ARIPO online services provides a database of all registered trade marks from all ARIPO member states which include: Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Link: www.eservice.aripo.org
China
The China Patent & Trade mark Office website provides a database of all registered trade marks in the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong currently has a separate legal system and local registrations are necessary.
Link: www.chinatrade markoffice.com
South Africa
The CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) office provides a search website database of registered trade marks in South Africa. You may conduct a cursory search of the Trade Marks Register to determine if the mark you may wish to use is available to you.
Link: www.cipc.co.za
