Trademark registration, copyright, patents, trade secrets and IP litigation.
Filter by specialisation
Global law firm with strong Netherlands practice. Full-service firm with expertise in corporate transactions, employment law, and real estate.
International firm with extensive Netherlands presence. Strong in corporate transactions, immigration, and real estate law.
Multi-jurisdictional firm with strong Netherlands practice in corporate law, real estate, and commercial transactions.
Top-tier international firm with Amsterdam office. Specialist in complex corporate transactions and banking law.
Specialist IP and technology law firm with strong Netherlands presence. Focus on intellectual property and tech sectors.
Leading Dutch firm with strong international practice. Based in The Hague with expertise in corporate and real estate law.
Top Dutch law firm with broad practice areas. Strong reputation in corporate law and commercial transactions.
International firm with Amsterdam office. Strong in employment law and immigration matters.
Progressive Amsterdam firm with focus on corporate and real estate law.
Dutch firm with international clients. Expertise in corporate and commercial law.
Rotterdam firm with expertise in corporate and real estate law.
Amsterdam firm with strong track record in corporate transactions and real estate.
Established Dutch firm with international practice. Strong in corporate and banking law.
Full-service Amsterdam firm with broad practice areas.
Eindhoven-based firm serving regional and national clients.
The Hague firm with broad commercial practice.
EU trademark registration (EUTM) covers all 27 EU member states in a single filing. For non-EU countries, separate national registrations or Madrid Protocol filings are needed.
EU trademarks typically take 4–6 months if unopposed. A lawyer can handle the filing, respond to office actions and monitor for infringement.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across Netherlands's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsDutch intellectual property law is governed by: Benelux-Verdrag inzake de intellectuele eigendom (BVIE) (Benelux Convention on Intellectual Property, covering trade marks and designs for Benelux uniformly); Rijksoctrooiwet 1995 (ROW 1995) for patents; Auteurswet 1912 (Aw) for copyright; Wet bescherming bedrijfsgeheimen (Wbb) (Trade Secrets Act, 2018, implementing EU Directive 2016/943). The national IP authority is the Benelux Organisatie voor de Intellectuele Eigendom (BOIP) in The Hague for trade marks and designs, and the Rijksoctrooicentrum (ROC/NL Patent Office) for patents. The Netherlands is home to the European Patent Office (EPO) headquarters in Rijswijk/The Hague and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Central Division (pharmaceuticals/chemistry) in The Hague.
| IP Right | Application Fee | Protection Duration | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benelux Trade Mark (1 class) | EUR 244 (online) / EUR 294 (paper) | 10 years, unlimited renewal | EUR 252/class per 10 years |
| Benelux Trade Mark (each additional class) | EUR 38 | 10 years | EUR 38/class per renewal |
| Benelux Design (1 design) | EUR 120 (1-3 designs package available) | 25 years max (5-yr renewals) | EUR 120 per 5-year renewal |
| Dutch National Patent (ROW) | EUR 120 (filing) + EUR 760 (search); total ~EUR 880 | 20 years max | Annual fees: EUR 40 (yr 3) rising to EUR 860 (yr 20) |
| EU Trade Mark (EUIPO) | EUR 850 (1 class, online) | 10 years, covers all 27 EU states | EUR 850/class |
| European Patent (EPO, NL validation) | ~EUR 4,000-6,000 (EPO fees); EUR 0 Dutch validation (free since 2008) | 20 years | Dutch annual renewal fees: EUR 40-860/yr |
| Unitary Patent (UPC) | Same as EP grant + Unitary Effect request (EUR 0 additional) | 20 years, covers 18+ EU states including NL | Single annual fee to EPO: EUR 35 (yr 3) rising to EUR 4,855 (yr 20) |
Copyright arises automatically upon creation (no registration). Duration: author's life + 70 years (Aw Art. 37, harmonised under EU Directive 2006/116/EC). Works made for hire (werkgeversauteursrecht): if an employee creates a work in the course of their employment, the employer holds the copyright as the deemed author (Aw Art. 7). Computer programs are protected as literary works (Aw Art. 10 lid 1 sub 12). Persoonlijkheidsrechten (moral rights): inalienable right of attribution and right to oppose derogatory treatment (Aw Arts. 25-25c). Collecting societies: Buma/Stemra (music), Lira (literary), Pictoright (visual art).
The Unified Patent Court (UPC) became operational on 1 June 2023. The UPC's Central Division for life sciences/chemistry/pharmaceuticals sits in The Hague, making the Netherlands a key UPC hub. Key implications for Dutch patent holders: (1) Opt-out from UPC jurisdiction available for European Patents for the transition period (7 years, extendable to 14 years) — opt-out filed via UPC Case Management System; (2) Unitary Patent (UP) provides single enforcement across 18+ participating EU states without national validation; (3) UPC Court of First Instance Local Division in The Hague handles infringement actions; appeals to Court of Appeal in Luxembourg. Dutch patent litigation costs via UPC: typically EUR 100,000-500,000 for contested proceedings; significantly lower than multi-country national litigation previously required.
A Eindhoven-based cleantech startup (BV, 15 employees) developing a solar panel recycling process filed: (1) Benelux trade mark for "SolReturn" (EUR 244, 1 class); (2) Dutch national patent (ROW; EUR 880) to establish priority date before EPO PCT filing; (3) EPO patent application via PCT 12 months later (EUR 4,200 EPO fees) with Unitary Patent request on grant. The startup opted out of UPC for the Dutch national patent (while it was live) to protect against central revocation in the UPC. On EPO grant (18 months processing), they registered the Unitary Patent (EUR 0 additional cost; annual UPC fees approximately EUR 2,000/year covering 18 states versus EUR 8,500/year for 18 national validations previously). A licensing deal with a German recycler was structured under the Benelux TM + UP portfolio, generating EUR 180,000/year in royalties. Dutch IP Box (Innovatiebox, Vpb Art. 12b): 9% effective Vpb rate on qualifying patent royalty income (nexus ratio 100% as all R&D was Dutch).
