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.

Annual growth of Greek GDP has surpassed the respective levels of most of its EU partners. The tourism industry is a major source of foreign exchange earnings and revenue accounting for 15% of Greece’s total GDP and employing, directly or indirectly, 16.5% of the total workforce. The Greek labor force totals 4.9 million, and it is the second most industrious between OECD countries, after South Korea. The Groningen Growth & Development Centre has published a poll revealing that between 1995 and 2005, Greece was the country with the largest work/hour ratio among European nations; Greeks worked an average of 1,900 hours per year, followed by the Spanish (average of 1,800 hours/year). In 2007, the average worker made around 20 dollars, similar to Spain and slightly more than half of average U.S. hourly income. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, occupied mainly in agricultural and construction work.

The first applicant is entitled to registration, and ownership of a mark is acquired only through registration. Foreign nationals or Greeks established in business outside Greece are entitled to registration if their trademarks are registered in the country where the business is located and there exists reciprocal protection of Greek trademarks, as by international convention or through the exchange of notes between the Greek government and that of the foreign country in question. A foreign trademark lawfully registered in Greece is independent of the trademark of the country in which the business of its owner is located. A registered trademark also may be registered in the name of another party in respect of the same goods if between the registered owner and the applicant there is a close and substantial financial connection and provided that the use of the trademark will not create a risk of deceit to the public.

A sign is registrable if it is capable of being represented graphically and capable of distinguishing the goods and services of one entity from those of another; signs may include words, personal names, designs, pseudonyms, letters, numerals, sounds and musical phrases, the shape of goods or their packaging. Service marks may be registered. Registration of trademarks used on pharmaceuticals is compulsory.

The following are not registrable: (1) signs that do not constitute a trademark under the law; (2) marks that lack distinctiveness; (3) marks that consist exclusively of signs indicating the characteristics of the goods or services; (4) marks that consist exclusively of signs that are customary in current language or in established trade practices; (5) signs that consist exclusively of the shape of the goods, where that shape results from the nature of the goods themselves, is necessary to achieve a technical result, or adds substantial value to the goods; (6) marks that are contrary to public policy and accepted principles of morality; (7) marks that tend to deceive the public; (8) flags, emblems, escutcheons, symbols, signs and hallmarks under article 6ter of the International Convention; (9) marks applied for in bad faith.

The registration of a trademark will not prevent others from using their names, surnames, and addresses, as well as statements concerning the kind, time, and place of production, quality, purpose, price, or weight of a similar product or merchandise, provided the use of the foregoing is not made in the form of a trademark.

(1) full name, address, occupation, and nationality of the applicant; (2) power of attorney, legalized by the Greek consul or with an apostille; (3) a list of goods and services for which the mark is to be registered; (4) ten prints of the mark, except if the mark is an ordinary work mark. If the mark is in color, 12 additional color prints are required; and (5) a certified copy of home registration. This is not ordinarily required from applicants of International Convention countries.

Applications for registration are examined as to form, registrability, and likelihood of confusion with conflicting prior marks; the results of the examination are announced at a hearing. If there are errors in or objections to the application, the applicant must respond. Once the application is accepted by the Trademark Office, it is published in the Official Gazette, and is registered seven months after publication, provided no successful oppositions have been lodged.

A trademark registration is granted for a term of 10 years from the day after the filing date of the application. A registration is renewable for like periods without limitation. Renewal should be applied for during the last year of the term of protection; renewals may be made within a six-month grace period after expiration, but an increased fee must be paid.

A trademark must be used within five years of its registration.

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