EU vs UK vs Spain vs Bulgaria trademark: which one do you need?
For one class, the official fee is €850 at the EUIPO for all 27 EU countries, €127.88 at the Spanish OEPM, €265.87 at the Bulgarian Patent Office for up to three classes, and £205 at the UKIPO. Each is valid for 10 years. An EU trademark does not cover the UK, so selling in both needs two filings.
How do the four trademarks compare?
| EU trademark | UK trademark | Spain | Bulgaria | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | EUIPO | UKIPO | OEPM | Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria |
| Countries covered | 27 EU member states | United Kingdom | Spain | Bulgaria |
| Official fee, 1 class | €850 | £205, about €260 | €127.88 online | €265.87 for up to 3 classes, plus €25.56 certificate |
| Each further class | €50 for the 2nd, €150 from the 3rd | £60 | €82.84 online | €15.34 from the 4th |
| Adora IP all in, 1 class | €1,530 | €715 | €425 | €540 for up to 3 classes |
| Opposition period | 3 months from publication | 2 months, extendable to 3 | 2 months from publication | 3 months from publication |
| Valid for | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years from filing | 10 years from filing |
| Official renewal fee, 1 class | €850 | £245 | €148.06 online | €153.39 for up to 3 classes |
| EUIPO SME Fund refund | Yes | No, the UK is outside the EU | Yes | Yes |
Sources: EUIPO fees from Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2017/1001; UKIPO fees from the UKIPO schedule in force since 1 April 2026; OEPM fees from its tariff in force since 1 April 2026; Bulgarian fees from article 3(1) of the Patent Office tariff as amended on 16 October 2026. The Spanish opposition period is set by article 17.1 of Real Decreto 687/2002 and the Bulgarian one by the Patent Office's own guidance on national marks.
Our UK price converts pounds at a fixed rate reviewed quarterly, so the euro figure for the UKIPO fee is approximate. The total you are quoted is fixed.
When does an EU trademark make sense?
When you sell, or plan to sell, in more than one EU country. The €850 EUIPO fee buys one registration for all 27 member states, where a Spanish and a Bulgarian filing together already cost €419.31 in official fees for two countries. The risk is that an earlier mark in any one member state can be used to oppose the whole EU application.
EU trademark registration covers the process.
When does a national trademark make sense?
When you trade in one country only, or when an earlier mark elsewhere in the EU would block an EU filing. A Spanish mark at the OEPM or a Bulgarian mark at the Patent Office protects that country alone, for a fraction of the EUIPO fee. You can add an EU trademark later and claim the national mark's seniority.
Bulgaria trademark registration covers the Bulgarian route in full.
Do I need a UK trademark as well as an EU one?
Yes, if you sell in the UK. EU trademarks stopped covering the UK on 1 January 2021, so a UK registration is a separate filing at the UKIPO. At €715 all in for one class with us, it is the cheapest of the four to add. UK trademark registration covers the UKIPO process.
Does the EUIPO SME Fund cover national trademarks?
Yes. The fund refunds 75% of official fees at EU and national level, so an EU, Spanish or Bulgarian filing qualifies, up to the €700 voucher maximum. The UK does not. The voucher has to be granted before you file. The SME Fund explains the current status.