In fact, the Register appears to be nothing more than a scam.
The Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) has
issued a warning to businesses: “This register has nothing to do
with the OHIM’s Community Trade Marks Register or any of its
official publications.”
The sender of the bogus invoice is a German company called
ZDR-Datenregister GmbH. It has previously been denounced for
sending such letters seeking payment for entries in a private
register containing information relating to industrial property
titles already recorded in the German Patent and Trade Mark Office
or elsewhere.
The company and those responsible for its operations are
currently under investigation by German law enforcement authorities
for alleged fraud and other offences. The OHIM adds, “The register
that ZDR-Datenregister refers to, if it exists at all, is likely to
be of no value for Community trade mark owners.”
Many businesses trading on the internet will be keen to protect
their brands on a European basis. A Community Trade Mark provides a
cost effective way of providing protection in a number of European
countries - although it can take between 18 months and two years to
obtain.
