Your trademark/design/name/product/logo/drawing is unique. And you can
protect it.
At the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), the official body.
How can we help?
I have a: company, foundation, sole proprietorship or service
You have intellectual property
Do you provide products or services? Do you want to market your own tangible expression of an idea or concept? If so, you can protect your creations from unauthorised use or counterfeiting by means of Intellectual Property rights. Intellectual Property (IP) is an umbrella term for rights to intellectual creations, such as inventions, music, design, trademarks, software, games, texts and photos.
Survey your intellectual property
You can secure certain types of intellectual property, such as trademarks, by registering them with an official body, such as the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP). Different creations can be protected in different ways, so the first step is to ascertain which IP rights are relevant for your company, foundation, sole proprietorship or service.
I have a: company, product, service or invented brand name, logo, device or sound
You have a trademark
A trademark is the brand name, logo, shape, device or sound that you use to distinguish your products or services from those of your competitors. By registering your trademark, you obtain exclusive rights to use it on all the products and services for which you request the trademark registration.
Benefits of trademark registration?
- You get a monopoly on your trademark;
- You protect your trademark from unauthorised use, counterfeiting and piracy;
- You can use the ® registration mark, which is a sign of professionalism;
- A registered trademark is a valuable asset, also in the event that you decide to sell or license it.
I have an: idea, concept, format or software
You can record your creations in i-DEPOT
If you have new ideas or develop concepts, formats or software regularly, you can record your creations in the Benelux Office of Intellectual Property (BOIP)'s i-DEPOT. The i-DEPOT assigns an official date stamp to your idea. This provides you with proof that your idea, concept, (fashion) design, prototype, film, lyrics, screenplay, etc. were already in existence on a certain date.
Benefits of i-DEPOT
- You have legal, dated evidence;
- Useful in the event of a dispute
- We store your idea for five years for 37 euro.
I have a: product, drawing or design
You have a design
A design (or drawing) is the appearance of a product or part of product that is new and has individual character. Imagine, for example, a new design for headphones, a watch, coffee-maker, garment or bag. By registering it, you can protect your design or drawing (or a combination of both) from counterfeiting or unauthorised use by others.
Copyright, trademark or patent registration can also help protect your product or design.
Benefits of design registration
- You get a monopoly on your design
- Your design is protected from unauthorised use, counterfeiting and piracy;
- A registered design is a valuable asset, also in the event that you decide to sell or license it.
I have a: text, lyrics, photo, illustration or video
You have a copyright
Text, music, photos and film can enjoy copyright. Copyright is free of charge and is automatically yours if your work is original and bears the personal mark of the author. You do not have to register your creation. However, submitting your lyrics, script or music for storage in an i-DEPOT can help resolve possible disagreements regarding authorship and the date on which a work was created.
Benefits of i-DEPOT
- You have legal, dated evidence;
- Useful in the event of a dispute;
- We store your idea for five years for 37 euro.
I have an: invention
You have a patent
A patent protects an invention which is a technical product or process. If you have a patent, you can prohibit anyone else from copying, selling, or importing your invention.
Benefits of patent registration
- You get a monopoly on your invention;
- Your invention is protected from unauthorised use, counterfeiting and piracy;
- You can recoup the considerable research and development costs;
- A patented invention is a valuable asset, also in the event that you decide to sell or license it.
I have a: dispute with another party
You may have infringed their rights
For instance, have you used images or text that you did not make yourself, without the authorisation of the creator or author? If so, you may find yourself entangled in a dispute. The creator or author may file a complaint against you, for example by letter, for infringing their intellectual property rights.
Turn to an IP professional
If you are notified that you may be infringing someone's rights, it is wise to take advice from a legal expert in intellectual property. An IP professional can provide assistance.
Go directly to one of the following topics:
Selling online? Here is what you need to know about trademark registration. Read more
Beware of misleading invoices! Read more
How much does a Trademark, Design or i-DEPOT cost? View all fees
What is intellectual property?
Intellectual Property (IP) is an umbrella term for rights to ideas and creative concepts that have been expressed in tangible form, such as inventions, music, trademarks, designs, software, texts and photos. A tangible expression of an idea can be protected by various IP rights at the same time. The best known IP rights are copyright, trade names, trademarks and patent rights.
Why should I register?
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Registration strengthens your position with respect to competitors.
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Registration can help prevent others from stealing your concept, brand name, logo, design or invention.
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You become the official proprietor. That means, that you have the right to sell or license your IP.
