Protecting a brand in the Netherlands comes with a surprise for newcomers: there is no Dutch-only trademark.
The Benelux route
The Netherlands shares a single trademark system with Belgium and Luxembourg. National-level protection is a Benelux trademark, filed with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) in The Hague, and it covers all three countries at once — you cannot register for the Netherlands alone.
Benelux, EU, or international
If you need protection across the EU, an EU trade mark (EUTM) via the EUIPO covers all member states in one registration. To reach beyond the EU, the Madrid Protocol lets you extend a base registration to other countries through WIPO.
Process
You file for specific goods/services using the Nice Classification; BOIP examines absolute grounds and publishes the mark, opening an opposition window for earlier-rights holders. Registration lasts ten years, renewable.
For foreign brand owners
The Benelux-vs-EUTM choice should follow your real market. A verified Dutch colleague can run a clearance search and file the right way.
Fees and timelines change — confirm with admitted Dutch counsel.