PROTECTION OF TRADEMARK RIGHT IN TURKEY
In order to be protected, companies' trademarks shall be registered in Turkey. Indeed, this is one of the main differences between patent and trademark, the second needing a local registration in each country.
Once registered in one of the 34 classes of goods and 11 classes of services, the trademark protection granted by registration ay the Turkish National Institute, it falls under the protection of Decree Law No. 556 dated 1995. Trademarks are protected for 10 years, with possibillity of renewing.
If a trademark is protected in Turkey and infringed by a third pary, by illegal (unauthorized) use or copy, then the holder of trademark right shall empower an attorney in Turkey, who may initiate a law suit in one of the specialized courts.
The judges of intellectual property rights have efficient legal tools to stop immediately the infringement. Also, penal law prosecution may be initiate and damage compensation may be requested from the counter part.
