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Can I register a trademark in the Netherlands only, or do I have to go for the Benelux trademark?

Written by Jan Buza

Co-founder of Trama

It is not possible to register a trademark covering only the Netherlands. Trademark registration in the Netherlands is handled by the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), which covers Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg as a single territorial unit. A BOIP registration automatically covers all three countries; there is no option to restrict it to one.

If your priority is the Netherlands and the broader EU coverage of an EU trademark is not needed, a BOIP registration is the appropriate filing. If you also need protection in other EU member states, an EU trademark registered with the EUIPO covers all 27 member states, including the Benelux countries, through a single registration.

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