What is the difference between a Slovak national trademark and an EU trademark?

Founder & Trademark Attorney · March 29, 2026

The difference between a Slovak national trademark and an EU trademark is that the EU mark grants protection in all EU countries, while the Slovak national mark only covers the Slovak jurisdiction. The Slovak mark is registered with the ÚPV SR, while the EU mark is registered with the EUIPO.

If you're only commercially operating in Slovakia (and plan to do so in the foreseeable future), it's cheaper and more effective to get the national rights. However, if you plan to expand regionally at any point, an EUIPO trademark is a must.

One practical thing to keep in mind is that both EU trademarks and Slovak trademarks will be cross-referenced against each other's registration during examination. So, if there's a conflict you hope to avoid with a national registration, that won't work.

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