An EU trademark can be the central right for a Nordic portfolio. It covers Denmark, Finland and Sweden, while Norway is protected through a Norwegian national application or an international registration designating Norway. NordicIP coordinates those routes so the owner receives one coherent EU-and-Norway filing plan.
This guide sets the two routes side by side, so you can see which fits — and where you may need both.
What an EU trademark covers
An EU trademark (EUTM) is a single right filed at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). One application, examined once, gives protection across all 27 EU member states simultaneously — including Denmark, Finland and Sweden. It runs for ten years, is renewable indefinitely in ten-year terms, and is managed as one registration with one renewal.
One thing an EUTM does not reach, even through Denmark, is the Danish territories: Greenland and the Faroe Islands are covered only by a national Danish registration.
What a Norwegian filing adds
Norway has its own national trademark system. NordicIP can prepare a Patentstyret application or manage the Norwegian procedure for an international registration designating Norway, alongside the EUIPO record.
| EU trademark (EUTM) | National Nordic filings | |
|---|---|---|
| Office | EUIPO | DKPTO · PRH · Patentstyret · PRV |
| Covers | 27 EU states, incl. DK, FI, SE | Each country you file in |
| Reaches Norway? | No | Yes — file nationally |
| Greenland / Faroe Islands | No | Yes, via Denmark |
| Term | 10 years, renewable | 10 years, renewable |
| Fees | Single EUIPO schedule | Published fee per country |
The cost trade-off
On official fees, an EUTM starts at EUR 850 for one class filed electronically, with EUR 50 for a second class and EUR 150 for the third and each further class. That single fee buys all 27 member states, so the more EU markets you need, the better the value.
National filings are priced per country — for instance from DKK 3,500 in Denmark, EUR 430 in Finland, SEK 4,100 in Sweden or NOK 5,000 in Norway (see the full fee table). If your real interest is one or two Nordic countries, national filings can cost less than a full EUTM; if you want broad EU coverage, the EUTM is usually the more efficient route.
A worked example makes the trade-off concrete. Suppose you need Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Denmark and Sweden both sit inside an EUTM, but Norway does not — so one efficient route is a single EUTM (from EUR 850 for one class) covering the two EU countries, paired with a national filing in Norway (from NOK 5,000, which covers up to three classes). The EUTM adds the other 25 member states at no extra cost, which usually settles the question the moment any market beyond the Nordics comes into view.
How the two differ to manage
Cost is only half the picture; the other half is upkeep. An EUTM is one registration, with one renewal date and one file to watch. Several national filings create several independently managed rights that can be assigned, licensed or renewed separately. Whichever mix you choose, NordicIP verifies and dockets every renewal date and gives the owner one consolidated reporting line.
When a single EUTM is enough
An EUTM on its own is typically the better choice when:
- your Nordic interest is limited to Denmark, Finland and Sweden;
- you also want protection in other EU markets outside the region;
- you would rather manage one registration and one renewal than several; and
- you do not need Greenland, the Faroe Islands or Norway.
When to add national filings
Reach for national filings — alongside or instead of an EUTM — when:
- you need Norway, which an EUTM cannot cover;
- only one Nordic country matters, and a single national filing may cost less than an EU-wide right; or
- you specifically need Denmark’s extension to Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Many applicants end up with a sensible hybrid: an EUTM for the EU bloc, plus a national filing in Norway to complete their Nordic coverage.
A quick decision checklist
- Need Norway? Add a national filing there — an EUTM will not reach it.
- Want several EU markets beyond the Nordics? An EUTM is usually the efficient core.
- Only one Nordic country? Compare a single national filing against the EUTM on cost.
- Need Greenland or the Faroe Islands? File nationally in Denmark.
- Still unsure? Ask us for a side-by-side quote.
For the complete EUIPO sequence, read the EU trademark registration guide. If an international registration is part of the portfolio, compare the Madrid and national Nordic routes. NordicIP can file and manage the selected structure as your representative—see Nordic trademark filing and our EU trademark service, or send us your countries and classes for a mapped quote.