Impact of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union on the European Union trade mark and the Community design
Frequently asked Questions and Answers
The United Kingdom submitted on 29 March 2017 the notification of its intention to withdraw from the Union pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This means that, unless a ratified withdrawal agreement1 establishes another date, all Union primary and secondary law will cease to apply to the United Kingdom from 30 March 2019, 00:00h (CET) (‘the withdrawal date’).
The United Kingdom will then become a ‘third country’.
Preparing for the withdrawal is not just a matter for EU and national authorities but also for private parties.
In view of the considerable uncertainties, in particular concerning the content of a possible withdrawal agreement, all stakeholders concerned are reminded of legal repercussions, which need to be considered when the United Kingdom becomes a third country.
Subject to any transitional arrangement that may be contained in a possible withdrawal agreement, as of the withdrawal date, the EU rules in the field of trademarks and designs no longer apply to the United Kingdom.
The main consequences are addressed in the Questions and Answers (Q&A) document you can download here: Impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on the EU trade mark (84 KB).
The Q&A apply mutatis mutandis to European Union designs.