You are here: Home > About OHIM > OAMI-ONLINE - Newsletter 02 - 2010

February 2010

Country Overview - Malta & The Community Trade Mark

Malta joined the EU in 2004 and has a population of 0.4m. The country comprises seven islands in the Mediterranean Sea but only the three largest - Malta, Gozo and Comino - are inhabited.

Malta has a history stretching back thousands of years and the country has been inhabited since around 5200 BC. For centuries it was the seat of the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John and then part of the British Empire. Malta became independent in 1964.

Tourism is an important source of income, but the island also has an expanding services sector, with financial services playing a growing role in recent years.

Following several years of modest growth, Malta's economy contracted in 2009 by about 4%.

The service sector accounts for an estimated 81% of GDP, followed by industry (18%) and agriculture (1.4%).

Given the size of the Maltese economy, a total of just 488 Community trade marks have been applied for by local companies. Last year, there were 124 filings.

 

 

Word Figurative 3-D Colour Other Sound
54.51% 44.51% 0.20% 0.20% 0.59% 0.00%

 

 

Word marks account for 55% of applications, followed by figurative marks (45%). The most popular goods and services applied for are in classes 41, 35 and 42.

Around 85% of Malta trade marks are filed electronically, with mail accounting for 11% and fax accounting for 4%.

 

Top 10 Malta-based owners by number of CTMs filed

Company CTMs
WORLD BUSINESS ASSOCIATED LIMITED 14
SIMONDS FARSONS CISK PLC 13
TP TUMAPHARMA LTD 13
MOBISLE COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED 12
HERCONEL LIMITED 11
SG HOLDINGS LIMITED 10
TOP COMPANY LIMITED 9
BWT INTERNATIONAL TRADING LTD. 8
CENTRAL EUROPEAN ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE GROUP LIMITED 8
MANGAS GAMING MALTA LIMITED 8

 

Top 10 representatives by number of CTMs received from Malta-based applicants

Representative CTMs
WH LAW 31
GROTH & CO. KB 16
MARKS & CLERK LLP 15
SOCIETA ITALIANA BREVETTI S.P.A 15
D. YOUNG & CO. 13
SATTLER & SCHANDA 13
KONTOVASSILIS 12
GATT TUFIGNO GAUCI ADVOCATES 10
HUGH PERALTA & ASSOCIATES 9
SCHUTZ & PARTNER 9