Trademark Registration Certificates in Romania to Be Issued Electronically as of 1 January 2026
Romanian trademark law is set to undergo a notable procedural transformation with respect to the manner in which trademark registration certificates in Romania are issued and communicated. Pursuant to Government Decision no. 1197 of 7 October 2022, amending and supplementing Government Decision no. 1134/2010 implementing Law no. 84/1998 on trademarks and geographical indications, the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM) has formally regulated the electronic issuance of trademark registration certificates.
Although the relevant legal provisions have been in force since 2022, their full practical effect will materialise as of 1 January 2026, when trademark registration certificates will, as a rule, be issued and transmitted electronically by OSIM.
This development forms part of a broader administrative modernisation process and reflects a clear move towards digitalisation in Romanian trademark registration procedures.
Electronic Issuance of the Registration Certificate in Romania
Article 57¹ paragraph (5) of the Implementing Regulation expressly provides that, where applicants, trademark owners, interested parties or their authorised representatives have indicated contact details for communication by electronic means, official communications issued by OSIM, including trademark registration certificates, will be transmitted by e-mail.
As of 1 January 2026, all trademark registration certificates issued by the Trademarks and Geographical Indications Department of OSIM will be communicated electronically to parties who have opted for e-mail correspondence. This rule applies across the board to national trademark registrations in Romania and is not limited by the filing date of the application or the procedural stage at which electronic communication was requested.
In practical terms, the electronic certificate will replace the traditional paper-based certificate as the standard form of confirmation of trademark registration in Romania.
Legal Effects of Electronic Communication
The regulation establishes a clear legal mechanism governing the moment at which electronically transmitted certificates are deemed to have been received.
When a trademark registration certificate in Romania is sent by e-mail, OSIM will request express confirmation of receipt from the addressee. If such confirmation is not provided, the certificate is nevertheless considered legally communicated on the first working day following the date of transmission by OSIM.
Validity and Technical Characteristics of Electronic Certificates
To ensure authenticity and legal certainty, trademark registration certificates in Romania issued electronically must comply with specific formal requirements.
Each certificate transmitted by e-mail must include an official outgoing registration number generated from OSIM’s Back Office trademark database, and bear the qualified electronic signature of the Director General of OSIM.
The electronic signature confers full legal validity on the certificate, equivalent to that of a paper document bearing a handwritten signature. In addition, one electronic copy of the certificate, saved in PDF format, will be archived in the relevant trademark file, ensuring administrative traceability and evidentiary reliability.
These safeguards are particularly relevant for enforcement purposes, licensing transactions, due diligence processes and court proceedings, where proof of trademark registration in Romania is required.
Impact on Trademark Registration in Romania Practice
The shift to electronic issuance of trademark registration certificates in Romania represents a structural change in day-to-day trademark practice before OSIM. For applicants and trademark owners, the reform offers increased speed and efficiency in receiving official documentation. For professional representatives, it necessitates well-organised internal systems for monitoring correspondence and managing statutory deadlines.
Once electronic communication has been requested, the issuance of the registration certificate in electronic form becomes the default rule, and parties must be prepared to rely on electronic documents as the primary evidence of registered trademark rights in Romania.
Situations Where Certificates Are Communicated by Post
Where no e-mail address has been indicated by the applicant, trademark owner or authorised representative, OSIM will continue to transmit the trademark registration certificate by post.
Even in such cases, the certificate will still bear the electronic signature of the Director General of OSIM, ensuring consistency in terms of legal validity. Nevertheless, postal communication is expected to become increasingly exceptional as electronic correspondence becomes standard practice in trademark registration in Romania.
Strategic Considerations Ahead of 1 January 2026
Trademark owners, particularly those managing international portfolios, should review their Romanian trademark files to ensure that contact details are accurate and that internal procedures are adapted to electronic communication. The electronic issuance of the registration certificate in Romania marks an important step towards a more modern and efficient trademark system, but it also places greater responsibility on rights holders to remain vigilant in monitoring official communications.
The introduction of electronic issuance of trademark registration certificates in Romania represents a decisive move away from paper-based administration and confirms OSIM’s commitment to digitalisation. As of 1 January 2026, electronic certificates will become the standard form of proof of trademark registration, carrying full legal validity and evidentiary value.
For proprietors of luxury, collectible, or durable goods, the decision highlights that maintaining trade mark rights requires more than formal compliance. It demands an integrated strategy in which authorised dealers, certification services, and other market activities collectively reinforce the mark’s essential function. By doing so, trade mark owners can preserve both the legal validity of their registrations and the enduring commercial value of their brands and model designations across primary and secondary markets.
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