Trademark Protection Standard
About the “Trademark Protection Standard”
The “Trademark Protection Standard” is an initiative of IPI Institute, aimed at promoting good practices in trademark protection and raising business awareness of trademarks as valuable intangible assets.
As a scientific organization in the field of intellectual property, IPI Institute develops the Trademark Protection Standard and establishes clear, practical rules that enable trademark owners to assess how consistently and comprehensively their trademarks are protected.
The Standard translates the complex field of trademark protection into clear criteria and practical steps. Its purpose is not to make the process more complicated, but to provide businesses with a simple starting point: What should I protect? Where should I protect it? And how can I maintain that protection over time?
What Does the Standard Cover?
The Standard addresses key aspects of trademark protection, including the registration of a company name as a trademark, protection in Cyrillic in Bulgaria and in Latin script in the European Union, as well as ensuring that the scope of registration corresponds to the products and services actually offered.
It also covers the protection of logos and slogans, domain names and the business’s online identity, as well as monitoring for identical or similar trademarks and potential unauthorized use of protected signs.
In this way, the Standard provides a clear and accessible framework for the systematic protection of trademarks – from registration to ongoing monitoring and protection.
The “Trademark Protection Standard” Sign
To make this commitment to protection visible, IPI Institute grants the right to use the “Trademark Protection Standard” sign to rights holders whose trademarks meet the criteria established by the Standard.
IPI Institute authorizes IP Consulting to assess trademarks for compliance with the requirements of the Standard. In 2026, certification under the “Trademark Protection Standard” is free of charge. Upon successful completion of the assessment, approved rights holders are granted the right to use the sign.
The sign demonstrates to customers, partners and other market participants that the trademark owner has taken concrete steps to protect the mark and follows the principles established by the Standard.
It is a visible expression of an approach that treats a trademark not simply as a name, logo or visual identity, but as an asset that should be properly protected, monitored and developed.
IPI Institute assists trademark owners in understanding the requirements of the Standard, provides information on its application and determines the conditions for using the sign.
The sign is not the trademark of the individual business and does not replace the registration of its trademark. It indicates that the relevant trademark meets the criteria of the “Trademark Protection Standard” established by IPI Institute.
Certification under the “Trademark Protection Standard” is free of charge in 2026.
Where Can the Sign Be Used?
Following a compliance assessment carried out by IP Consulting and the granting of the right to use the sign, it may be displayed across the trademark owner’s communications – on corporate websites or online stores, social media, advertising and marketing materials, presentations and corporate materials, product packaging and related materials, as well as in offices, retail locations or other representative spaces.
This allows trademark owners to clearly demonstrate that protecting their trademark is an integral part of responsible business management.
Rules for Using the Sign
The right to use the sign is granted upon fulfilment of the requirements of the Standard and under the conditions established by IPI Institute.
To preserve its consistent identity and recognizability, the sign must always be used in the form provided by IPI Institute. Its colors, proportions, shape, text and graphic elements must not be altered.
Consistent use will help establish the “Trademark Protection Standard” as a recognizable sign of a systematic and responsible approach to trademark protection.
