The EUIPO’s update on green European trade marks: are EU companies doing better?

Vincenzo Iaia

The increased attention to climate change reflects in the number of trademark filings for goods or services that may have beneficial effects for the environment. The so called “green trademarks” are those signs having in their applications at least one “green” term in the specification of goods or services.


In April 2024, the EUIPO released a report of “green” European trade marks (here the link) with data updated until December 2022. The analysis aimed at identifying the trends and developments of “green” European trade marks, based on approximately 900 “green” specifications of goods or services that suggest the potential environmental-friendly character of the trademarks, such as recycling of minerals, generation of electricity from solar energy, or water pollution control.


In Figure 1, the report highlights that the number of “green” trademarks reached the pick in 2021 with 21281 filings. Then, in 2022, the amount of green trademark filings decreased to 19659. However, it should be noted that the whole number of European trademark filings decreased in 2022, while the amount of “green” European trademarks followed an upward trend. This means that “green” trademarks and thus “green” economy, is a growing trend.


Figure 1 Green European trademark filings. Total, EU and non-EU firms, 1996-2022



The growing number of trademark filings is certainly an expression of the European Green Deal. The overarching objective is to implement a set of policies able to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.


Moreover, Figure 1 shows the differences in “green” trademark filings between companies established in the EU and non-EU origin applicants. In 2022, the number of “green” trademark applications from non-EU firms shrank by 19% compared to the rate resulting in 2020. At the same time, this figure reveals a stabilization in the number of filings from EU applicants.


In addition, Figure 2 of the EUIPO’s update illustrates the percentage of “green” European trademark filings as a share of all European trade mark filings, again distinguishing between EU applicants from non-EU applicants.


Figure 2 Green European trademarks filings as a share of all European trade marks filings, 1996-2022



The higher increase of the ratio of “green” European trademarks for EU applicants in 2022 compared to the ratio registered by non-EU applicants highlights that “green” marks originating from the EU showed better performance than those from non-EU applicants, with an increase in absolute and relative terms.


In Europe, in 2022, the leading country of origin for European “green” trademarks is Germany (3297), immediately followed by Italy (1621) and France (1119). China leads among non-EU nations (3720), which is nearly half of the non-EU filings. The United States stands fourth, after Italy, with 1152 filings.


In conclusion, signs related to environmental-friendly goods or services are gaining ground over signs claiming goods or services from the traditional industry and they are likely to have a stronger importance to cope with the urgent environmental crisis.  


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