When an entrepreneur decides to protect their brand by registering a trademark, a fundamental principle must be understood from the outset: a trademark cannot be registered \u201con anything\u201d. In trademark law, the protected sign must identify the source of goods or services. This means that your trademark will always be linked to what you offer on the market \u2014 whether products, services, or a combination of the two.<\/p>\n
For this reason, the legislation has adopted a unified system to organize all possible products and services in a clear and coherent way: the Nice Classification. This international system determines the exact scope in which your trademark will be protected and is the basis for any registration application filed with OSIM, EUIPO or internationally.<\/p>\n
Below, we clarify the essential concepts and show concretely why this information is vital for entrepreneurs just starting out.<\/p>\n
Why does this information matter for small businesses?<\/p>\n
A brand is an asset, sometimes the most important asset of a business. And this asset does not provide general, universal protection, but only in relation to the declared goods and services.<\/p>\n
Small businesses are often the most exposed to the risk that their trademark will be insufficiently protected, either because it has only been registered in some of the relevant classes, or because it has not been registered at all. In our article dedicated to local entrepreneurs \u2013 available here , we explain in detail why trademark registration is an essential investment for any business.<\/p>\n
What are the Nice classes and why do they matter?<\/p>\n
The Nice Classification divides all goods and services into 45 standardized classes, used globally. The first 34 classes concern products, while classes 35\u201345 concern services. The system is regularly updated to reflect economic realities, from software development to e-commerce or digital services.<\/p>\n
The importance of these classes is major: they define exactly in which areas trademark protection applies. If the trademark is registered only in the food class, it will not automatically protect a delivery service or a restaurant operating under the same name. Similarly, two identical trademarks can coexist perfectly legally if they belong to completely different and unrelated classes \u2013 but there are also areas of overlap that require more attention.<\/p>\n
How do entrepreneurs choose the right classes for their activity?<\/p>\n
For a starting entrepreneur, the selection of classes may seem complicated, but the principles are logical: you should choose those classes that accurately reflect what the business produces, sells or provides. It is also useful to take into account the foreseeable development directions of the business.<\/p>\n
A brand that sells clothes mainly needs Class 25. If the same brand plans to open a physical or online store, it will also need Class 35, dedicated to retail services. For a restaurant, Class 43 is essential, but if it also sells packaged goods under the same brand, the corresponding food classes also become relevant.<\/p>\n
Common mistakes in choosing classes \u2014 and how to avoid them<\/p>\n
Even though the Nice Classification is intuitive, in practice many entrepreneurs make the same mistakes, most often out of ignorance. One of the most common mistakes is confusing goods with services. The fact that a business produces clothing does not automatically mean that it is also protected for retail activity. These two activities belong to different classes and, if the description is incomplete, the protection of the trademark will be limited.<\/p>\n
Another common mistake is choosing unnecessary classes, which do not truly reflect the activity carried out. While it may seem tempting to select as many classes as possible \u201cjust in case\u201d, this has two important disadvantages: it increases costs and exposes the trademark to a real risk of revocation for non-use after the first five years. For small entrepreneurs, this risk is particularly relevant, because their resources are limited and any additional procedure means wasted time and money.<\/p>\n
Clasele Nisa \u00een practic\u0103: exemple concrete din diverse industrii<\/strong><\/p>\n Pentru a ilustra modul \u00een care func\u021bioneaz\u0103 clasificarea, examin\u0103m c\u00e2teva scenarii reale cu care antreprenorii se confrunt\u0103 frecvent:<\/p>\n Un magazin online care vinde produse sub propriul brand are nevoie de protec\u021bie at\u00e2t pentru produsele efective<\/strong> (de exemplu, Clasa 25 pentru \u00eembr\u0103c\u0103minte), c\u00e2t \u0219i pentru serviciile de v\u00e2nzare online<\/strong> (Clasa 35). Dac\u0103 magazinul lanseaz\u0103 \u0219i o aplica\u021bie mobil\u0103 proprie, devine relevant\u0103 \u0219i Clasa 9 pentru software.<\/p>\n Un restaurant se \u00eenregistreaz\u0103 \u00een Clasa 43, \u00eens\u0103 dac\u0103 brandul dore\u0219te s\u0103 v\u00e2nd\u0103 cafea ambalat\u0103 sau produse alimentare preparate, trebuie avute \u00een vedere \u0219i clasele 30 sau 32, \u00een func\u021bie de tipul produselor. Astfel, marca va fi protejat\u0103 at\u00e2t pentru serviciile din loca\u021bie, c\u00e2t \u0219i pentru produsele comercializate separat.<\/p>\n Un produc\u0103tor local de cosmetice naturale trebuie s\u0103 selecteze Clasa 3, \u00eens\u0103 dac\u0103 vinde \u0219i servicii conexe \u2014 precum ateliere de crea\u021bie, training sau demonstra\u021bii \u2014 este relevant\u0103 \u0219i Clasa 41. Pentru antreprenorii locali, aceast\u0103 distinc\u021bie este crucial\u0103 deoarece brandurile sunt adesea dezvoltate \u00een jurul unei comunit\u0103\u021bi sau a unei experien\u021be, nu doar a produsului final.<\/p>\n Clasele Nisa \u0219i riscul de conflict \u00eentre m\u0103rci<\/strong><\/p>\n De\u0219i \u00eemp\u0103r\u021birea pe clase ofer\u0103 o structur\u0103 clar\u0103, ea nu garanteaz\u0103 automat lipsa unui conflict \u00eentre dou\u0103 m\u0103rci. Analiza similarit\u0103\u021bii are \u00een vedere nu doar num\u0103rul clasei, ci \u0219i:<\/p>\n De exemplu, software-ul (Clasa 9) \u0219i serviciile IT (Clasa 42) apar \u00een clase diferite, \u00eens\u0103 pot fi considerate activit\u0103\u021bi similare<\/strong> \u00een analiza unei opozi\u021bii sau a unei ac\u021biuni de anulare.<\/p>\n Prin urmare, selectarea claselor trebuie dublat\u0103 de o verificare prealabil\u0103 a disponibilit\u0103\u021bii m\u0103rcii \u0219i de o analiz\u0103 privind riscurile de conflict cu alte semne existente.<\/p>\n \u00centreb\u0103ri frecvente despre clasele Nisa<\/strong><\/p>\n Nu. Dup\u0103 depunerea cererii, nu mai este posibil\u0103 ad\u0103ugarea unor clase suplimentare. Legisla\u021bia \u00een materie de m\u0103rci nu permite extinderea protec\u021biei unei m\u0103rci existente prin includerea altor produse sau servicii.<\/p>\n Dac\u0103 ave\u021bi nevoie de protec\u021bie pentru noi activit\u0103\u021bi, singura solu\u021bie este depunerea unei noi cereri de marc\u0103<\/strong>, separate, care s\u0103 acopere clasele suplimentare.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Da, marca r\u0103m\u00e2ne valabil\u0103, \u00eens\u0103 protec\u021bia poate fi inutil\u0103 sau insuficient\u0103<\/strong>. Dac\u0103 marca este \u00eenregistrat\u0103 \u00een clase care nu corespund activit\u0103\u021bii reale, aceasta nu v\u0103 ofer\u0103 un avantaj juridic concret. \u00cen plus, pentru clasele \u00een care nu utiliza\u021bi marca, dup\u0103 cinci ani poate fi solicitat\u0103 revocarea pentru neutilizare<\/strong>.<\/p>\n De aceea, selec\u021bia corect\u0103 a claselor la depunere este esen\u021bial\u0103.<\/p>\n Doar \u00een limite foarte restr\u00e2nse.<\/p>\n Dup\u0103 depunerea cererii, modific\u0103rile permise sunt minore \u0219i nu pot extinde<\/strong> domeniul protec\u021biei. Se pot face doar corec\u021bii tehnice sau clarific\u0103ri care nu altereaz\u0103 natura produselor\/serviciilor. Dac\u0103 este necesar\u0103 o modificare substan\u021bial\u0103, va trebui depus\u0103 o nou\u0103 cerere de marc\u0103<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Clasele Nisa determin\u0103, \u00een mod direct, \u00eentinderea real\u0103 a protec\u021biei m\u0103rcii dvs. \u0219i reprezint\u0103 un pas esen\u021bial pentru orice antreprenor care dore\u0219te s\u0103 \u00ee\u0219i construiasc\u0103 \u0219i protejeze brandul \u00een mod eficient. O alegere corect\u0103 \u00eenc\u0103 de la \u00eenceput previne riscuri, limiteaz\u0103 costurile \u0219i asigur\u0103 o protec\u021bie solid\u0103 pe termen lung.<\/p>\n Dac\u0103 ave\u021bi nevoie de ajutor \u00een identificarea claselor potrivite sau \u00eenregistrarea m\u0103rcii la OSIM ori EUIPO, Agen\u021bia TAS <\/strong>v\u0103 st\u0103 la dispozi\u021bie:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udce7 office@agentiatas.ro<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcde 0745 160 163.<\/p>\n Nice Classes in Practice: Concrete Examples from Various Industries<\/p>\n To illustrate how the classification works, let\u2019s look at some real-life scenarios that entrepreneurs often encounter:<\/p>\n Online and e-commerce<\/p>\n An online store that sells products under its own brand needs protection for both the actual products (e.g. Class 25 for clothing) and the online sales services (Class 35). If the store also launches its own mobile app, Class 9 for software also becomes relevant.<\/p>\n Caf\u00e9s, restaurants and HoReCa<\/p>\n A restaurant is registered in Class 43, but if the brand wants to sell packaged coffee or prepared food products, classes 30 or 32 should also be considered, depending on the type of products. This way, the trademark will be protected for both the services on site and the products sold separately.<\/p>\n Local producers and artisans<\/p>\n A local natural cosmetics producer should select Class 3, but if they also sell related services \u2014 such as creative workshops, training or demonstrations \u2014 Class 41 is also relevant. For local entrepreneurs, this distinction is crucial because brands are often built around a community or an experience, not just the final product.<\/p>\n Nice classes and the risk of conflict between brands<\/p>\n While division into classes provides a clear structure, it does not automatically guarantee that there will be no conflict between two brands. The analysis of similarity takes into account not only the class number, but also:<\/p>\n the nature of the goods and services,<\/p>\n their intended use and manner of use,<\/p>\n the distribution channels,<\/p>\n the relevant public,<\/p>\n their market position.<\/p>\n For example, software (Class 9) and IT services (Class 42) appear in different classes, but can be considered similar activities in the analysis of an opposition or cancellation action.<\/p>\n Therefore, the selection of classes must be accompanied by a prior check of the availability of the mark and an analysis of the risks of conflict with other existing signs.<\/p>\n FAQ on Nice classes<\/p>\n Can I add new classes to an already registered mark at a later date?<\/p>\n No. Once the application has been filed, it is no longer possible to add additional classes. Trade mark law does not allow the protection of an existing mark to be extended to include other goods or services.<\/p>\n If you need protection for new activities, the only solution is to file a new, separate trade mark application covering the additional classes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If I choose the wrong classes, is my mark still valid?<\/p>\n Yes, the mark remains valid, but the protection may be useless or insufficient. If the mark is registered in classes that do not correspond to the actual activity, this does not provide you with any concrete legal advantage. In addition, for classes in which you do not use the mark, revocation for non-use can be requested after five years.<\/p>\n Therefore, the correct selection of classes when filing is essential.<\/p>\n Can I change or correct the description of the goods\/services after filing?<\/p>\n Only to a very limited extent.<\/p>\n After filing, the permitted changes are minor and cannot extend the scope of protection. Only technical corrections or clarifications that do not alter the nature of the goods\/services can be made. If a substantial change is required, a new trademark application will have to be filed.<\/p>\n The Nice classes directly determine the actual scope of your trademark protection and are an essential step for any entrepreneur who wants to build and protect their brand effectively. A correct choice from the start prevents risks, limits costs and ensures solid protection in the long term.<\/p>\n If you need help identifying the right classes or registering your trademark with OSIM or EUIPO, the TAS Agency is at your disposal:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udce7 office@agentiatas.ro<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcde 0745 160 163.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When an entrepreneur decides to protect their brand by registering a trademark, a fundamental principle must be understood from the outset: a trademark cannot be registered \u201con anything\u201d. In trademark law, the protected sign must identify the source of goods or services. 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