If you operate in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a natural or legal person, registering a trademark is a key step in protecting your brand, products, and services. A trademark is a legally protected sign used to distinguish the goods and/or services of one legal entity from those of others in the market. By registering a trademark with the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the owner acquires the exclusive right to use it, gains business security, and obtains a legal basis for effective legal action in case of rights infringement.
Why register a trademark in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Registering a trademark in Bosnia and Herzegovina provides a number of legal and commercial advantages, such as:
- Exclusive right to use the trademark in the territory of BiH (or beyond, through international registration),
- Legal protection against copying, plagiarism, and misuse of the brand by third parties,
- Possibility to transfer rights through licensing, sale, or inheritance,
- Increased market value of the brand in case of investments or business negotiations.
Unregistered trademarks generally do not enjoy legal protection, which can result in market loss, reputational damage, and financial harm.
What does the trademark registration process in BiH look like?
The trademark registration process in BiH begins by submitting an application to the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although it may seem simple, the procedure can be complex, which is why we recommend expert legal support from attorneys specialized in intellectual property law.
The process includes:
- Legal assessment of whether the trademark meets the protection criteria,
- Search of existing trademarks in the BiH registry and international databases (to avoid infringement of third-party rights),
- Preparation and submission of the registration application,
- Monitoring the procedure and communicating with the Institute,
- Entry of the trademark into the register and issuance of the registration decision,
- Renewal of registration every 10 years, with the possibility of unlimited extensions.
Our Experience and Results
Our law firm from Bosnia and Herzegovina has extensive experience in trademark registration procedures before the Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH. We have represented domestic and international clients from Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, both in registration processes and in legal protection of trademarks before courts and other authorities.
At all stages – from legal analysis of the trademark, through filing the application, to representation in cases of trademark infringement – we provide expert and reliable legal support.
