[1] Its provisions were required to be introduced into national law by 29 December 1991.

In the UK the Directive was transposed into domestic law by The Trade Marks Regulations 2018 which amended the Trade Marks Act 1994.

[2] The Directive was intended to approximate the laws of the Member States of the European Union which relate to trade marks and to harmonise disparities in the respective trade mark laws which had the potential to impede the free movement of goods and provision of services, or to distort competition within the European Union.

The Directive provided a framework of minimum provisions applicable throughout the European Union but did not seek to impose onerous obligations on national trademark registries.

For example, the Directive did not stipulate how member states should deal with the registration, revocation and invalidity of trademarks.