China Trademark Registration for European Companies: The Complete 2026 Guide

If you manufacture in China, source components there, sell on platforms fed by Chinese supply chains, or plan to enter the Chinese market — your brand is exposed from day one. China runs a first-to-file trademark system, which means the party who files first owns the mark, regardless of who used it first.

This guide explains exactly how European companies register a trademark in China in 2026: what it costs, how long it takes, which classes to pick, and the mistakes that cost brands the most.

1. Do you actually need a Chinese trademark?

Most European business owners assume trademarks are territorial: "I registered my EUTM/UK mark, I'm covered." That is true — but only in Europe. A Chinese registration is a separate, independent right, and it matters even if you never sell a single unit in China:

• You manufacture or source in China. Your own OEM supplier can register your brand name and later block your exports or demand a payoff.
• Your products transit or are sold via cross-border e-commerce. Platforms like Alibaba, Tmall and Douyin accept takedown requests only from rights holders with a Chinese registration.
• You might enter China later. By then, a squatter may already own your name — undoing that takes 1–3 years of opposition or invalidation proceedings.

2. What it costs (2026, all-inclusive)

The CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) charges an official fee of RMB 270 per class (≈ €32) for a standard application covering 10 goods/services, plus RMB 27 for each extra item. If you file through a local agent, you pay the agent's service fee on top.

3. How long does it take?

A clean registration takes roughly 8–12 months end to end:

1. Formal examination — about 1 month. CNIPA checks the application paperwork.
2. Substantive examination — about 4–6 months. An examiner reviews conflicts and distinctiveness.
3. Publication / opposition period — 3 months. Anyone may oppose.
4. Registration & certificate — a few weeks after publication with no opposition.

Importantly, your application date is your priority date. You gain enforceable expectations from filing day, not from certificate day.

4. Choosing classes: file broader than you think

China uses the Nice Classification (45 classes), but with its own subclass system that is stricter than the EU's. Two practical rules:

• File the class of your actual goods plus the classes where squatters typically hide: Class 35 (retail, e-commerce, advertising) is the single most-squatted class. Add Class 9 (apps, electronics) and Class 42 (software services) if you have any digital footprint.
• File the Chinese character version of your brand too. Consumers and copycats will adopt a Chinese rendering of your name whether or not you register one. Pick a good transliteration before the market picks one for you.

5. The mistakes that cost European brands the most

• Waiting until "market entry". Squatters monitor trade fairs, Amazon listings and EU registers, and file Chinese marks for promising foreign brands. Your EUTM filing is public — you are advertising your brand to squatters.
• Relying on your EUTM/UK mark. It gives zero rights in China.
• Skipping the Chinese-language mark. You end up fighting copycats over a name you don't own.
• Letting the supplier file "for convenience". The registration ends up in the supplier's name. Get it in your own name, filed by an independent agent.
• Ignoring renewals and use evidence. A registration unused for 3 years can be cancelled on request. Keep invoices and records.

6. How the process works with a local agent

1. You send your brand name, logo and product/service description.
2. The agent runs a CNIPA database search and advises on classes and risk.
3. You approve a fixed quote; a Power of Attorney is signed electronically.
4. The agent files, monitors examination, and handles any office actions.
5. You receive the certificate; renewals are tracked for you.

Everything except your signature happens locally in China — which is why filing directly with a Chinese agent is faster and cheaper than routing through a European intermediary firm that subcontracts the same work and marks it up 2–3x.