Trademarkia (or “Trademarkia P.C.”) is the registered trade name of the law firm LegalForce RAPC Worldwide P.C. The law firm operates www.trademarkia.com, which provides the Internet’s largest, free search tool with a database of more than 8 million trademarks and logos. Other than searching the trademarks for free, a visitor of the website may also place orders on www.trademarkia.com to seek Trademarkia P.C.’s legal services. After the law firm conducts the required conflict checks and accepts the payment, and after a written retainer agreement is entered into, the visitor becomes the client of Trademarkia P.C..

Since 2009, Trademarkia P.C. has helped more than 100,000 clients registering trademarks in more than 170 countries around the world.

Bulgaria has an industrialised, open free market economy, with a large, moderately advanced private sector and a number of strategic state-owned enterprises. The World Bank classifies it as an "upper-middle-income economy". Bulgaria has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years, even though it continues to rank as the lowest-income member state of the EU. According to Eurostat data, Bulgarian PPS GDP per capita stood at 40 per cent of the EU average in 2008.

Bulgarian natural persons and legal entities and foreign natural persons and legal entities.

Trademarks or service marks may consist of words; distinctive signs of a particular shape such as graphical representations, emblems, reliefs, fancy denominations, special combinations of ciphers, letters, and words; packings of a particular shape and other three-dimensional shapes; or rhythmic or musical interpretations. Appellations of origin are acceptable as an element of a mark if they are not deceptive and do not imply that a monopoly is had by the holder of such a mark, provided that the applicant provides evidence of the right to use such appellation.

The followin may not be registered: (1) signs that are not marks within the meaning of Definitions; (2) marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications that have become customary in everyday language or established commercial practice in the Republic of Bulgaria; (3) marks that are devoid of all distinctive character; (4) signs that consist exclusively of the shape of goods dictated by their nature, the shape of the goods necessary for a technical result to be obtained, or a shape of the goods that considerably increases their value; (5) marks that are contrary to public policy and the principles of morality; (6) marks that may deceive users as to the nature, quality, or geographical origin of the goods or services; (7) marks that consist of or include coats of arms, flags, or other emblems or the full or abbreviated official names of states or governmental organizations, or limitations thereof; (8) marks that consist of or include official control and warranty signs and stamps where such signs and stamps are used to mark identical goods; (9) marks that consist of or include the coats of arms, the flag, symbols, medals, or the name of the Republic of Bulgaria or of Bulgarian State authorities; (10) marks that consist of or include the name or a representation of historical and cultural monuments of the Republic of Bulgaria, as specified by the Ministry of Culture; (11) marks that consist of or include religious symbols that are well-known in the Republic of Bulgaria, or equivalents thereof. A mark shall likewise not be registered if: (1) it is identical to an earlier mark and the goods or services of the mark filed for registration and those of the earlier mark are identical; (2) because it is identical or similar to an earlier mark, and because the goods or services to which the two marks relate are identical or similar, users are liable to be confused, notably by the likelihood of association with the earlier mark; (3) it consists of a geographical designation or a derivative thereof. A mark shall not be registered if it is identical or similar to an earlier mark and is intended for goods or services that are identical or similar to those of the earlier mark where that earlier mark is wellknown on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and where use without due cause of the mark applied for would take unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark.

The rights of third parties may be affected by registration of marks by others.

Power of attorney, simply signed. Electrotype (not for word marks), not exceeding 7 cm. Twenty prints of the mark, either photographs or offprints in color or black and white, size 3 x 4 cm minimum, 5 x 7 maximum (prints not required for ordinary word marks). Certificate attesting to the applicant's legal existence and business activities, such as a Chamber of Commerce Certificate. Convention: Priority is claimed within two months from the filing date of application with a mention of the date and country of the preceding application.

Application for registration must be filed with the Patent Office. The application is examined as to form and substance. If the mark is deemed registrable, a certificate of registration is issued.

Marks are registered for a period of 10 years counting from the date of application and can be extended for like periods. Petition for renewal may be filed any time during the last year of protection, or with a fine, during the next succeeding six months. No documents need accompany the renewal request.

The registration of a mark will be cancelled if it is proved that the mark has not been put into use or was not offered for use through the press for a period of five years. Use of a mark by license is permitted, but the licensee must be recorded. The use of the mark consists of real use (putting goods labeled by the mark onto the market in Bulgaria) and nominal use (offering of the mark for use through the press).

No provision

Goods carried through the border of the Republic of Bulgaria that bear a registered mark without a consent of its holder or an imitation shall be detained by the customs officials at the written request of the holder.