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Abstract
The diverse language and culture of the EU's 25 member states finds its melting pot in the OHIM - home of the Community trade mark. Here, brand owners compete for trade mark rights that span the whole European Union - from the rugged west coast of Ireland to the leafy lakes of east Finland - recognizing no national, linguistic or cultural boundaries. The Community trade mark system has been laid down over the patchwork quilt of national trade marks systems, and stretched eastwards as the EU has grown to embrace new members. Small wonder, perhaps, that a very high proportion of Community trade mark (CTM) applications are opposed. With a further leap in opposition numbers last year, CTM applicants must regard oppositions as an occupational hazard, and find strategies to outperform their challengers.