Does your brand name already exist? (Early Trademark Screening tool).

Details

• Source: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/nieuws/bestaat-jouw-merknaam-al-check-het-met-deze-gratis-tool
• Organisations: VLAIO (article) • EUIPO (tool)
• Type: free online screening tool (preliminary trademark name check)
• Article date: 20/04/2026

What is it?

Early Trademark Screening is a free tool by EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) that helps you do a first broad check for potential issues with your brand name (or close variants) before you start a trademark registration.

What can you check?

• Whether your name may be too descriptive (and therefore refused).
• Whether there are identical or highly similar trademarks in comparable categories.
• Risks that are easy to miss, such as confusion due to phonetic/visual similarity, misleading character, public order issues, or geographic indication conflicts.
• The tool also shows which domain names (common extensions) are already registered by third parties.

When is this especially useful?

• When you’ve just chosen a name and want a quick “red flag” check.
• When you plan to internationalise.
• As preparation before you file a trademark yourself or contact an IP expert.

Important limitations

• This is a support tool and can contain errors.
• It does not replace legal advice.

Links

• VLAIO article: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/nieuws/bestaat-jouw-merknaam-al-check-het-met-deze-gratis-tool
• EUIPO tool: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/help-centre/searches/early-tm-screening
• VLAIO IP overview: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/begeleiding-advies/groei-innovatie/intellectuele-eigendom