Since the second half of the 20th century, the designation Concertina has been actively registered as a trademark in various countries. The earliest recorded registration dates back to 1966. Since then, the term has been recognized as eligible for legal protection in several jurisdictions, both in its Latin form Concertina. These registrations cover various classes of goods and services, but primarily focus on perimeter security systems, concertina wire, razor wire, barrier components, and packaging. Trademark protection has been obtained through both national applications filed with individual patent offices and international applications under the Madrid System. The Madrid System allows for the protection of a trademark in multiple countries simultaneously and enables centralized tracking of its legal status through the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) database.
Independent Registrations by Different Owners
It is important to note that trademarks containing the designation Concertina are owned by different rights holders. They are not affiliated with each other, do not represent the same brand, and do not originate from a common manufacturer. Separate companies across Europe, the Americas, and Asia filed trademark applications independently in their respective countries – often unaware of the existence of similar registrations in other jurisdictions. This parallel registration process is explained by the widespread use of the term and the nature of national trademark laws: if a trademark has not yet been registered in a specific country, it may be granted legal protection even if similar marks exist elsewhere. As a result, there are now multiple legally valid Concertina or Концертина trademarks registered by different companies, each independently from the others.
Impact of Trademark Registration on Use
Registering the word Concertina as a trademark means that its use in commercial contexts may be restricted depending on the geographical scope of the registration. The lawful trademark owners obtain exclusive rights to use the designation within the goods and services classes specified in the registration.
This includes the right to:
- place the designation on products, packaging, and documentation;
- use it in advertising and on websites;
- prohibit unauthorized use by third parties.
If an individual or organization uses the Concertina trademark without the rights holder’s consent, it may constitute an infringement of exclusive rights and result in legal consequences. For this reason, it is essential in commercial activities to check not only whether the trademark is registered, but also its class, current status, and territorial coverage.
Connection to Technical Terminology
Although the word Concertina has technical origins and is used to describe specific types of wire barriers, its legal protectability has been confirmed by patent and trademark offices in a number of countries. This means that even a widely used technical term may be granted trademark protection if it meets the criteria for distinctiveness and is used in a specific commercial context. This is precisely the case with the Concertina designation – it is simultaneously part of the professional vocabulary of perimeter security and an internationally registered object of intellectual property.