New Nice Classification – 13th Edition: What You Need to Know
The 13th edition of the Nice Classification, which entered into force on 1 January 2026, has modified the classification of several goods and services, notably in the fields of optics, wellness, and transport.
Among the main developments:
- essential oils are now classified according to their use: cosmetic in class 3, medical in class 5, or food-related in class 30;
- glasses, lenses and optical accessories move from class 9 to class 10, as they are considered medical devices; only glasses intended for scientific purposes remain in class 9;
- heated clothing is now treated as clothing in its own right and falls under class 25, and emergency vehicles are moved to class 12.
French trademarks in force on 1 January 2026 remain valid as they stand, and reclassification will only take place at the time of renewal.
However, a difficulty may arise before that date in the event of an international extension of a French trademark. In such a case, the applicant may receive a notification of irregularity inviting them to amend the wording of the goods and services in order to comply with the classification in force. Proposals for regularization would then be issued by the INPI.
In addition, if the reclassification results in the addition of a new class not initially covered by the trademark, the applicant will have to pay an additional fee of €40. If, following the reclassification, the class initially designated is no longer of interest (for example, if it no longer contains any goods/services or if the remaining goods/services are no longer relevant), the applicant should be able to renounce it. In that case, no additional payment should be due, as the total number of classes would remain unchanged.
For European Union trademarks and international registrations, no reclassification mechanism will be implemented for registrations in force on 1 January 2026: only new filings will have to comply with the new classification.
In practice, this new edition does not fundamentally alter trademark filing strategies. However, certain adjustments may prove necessary, both at the time of renewal and when filing new trademarks, if the relevant titles are affected by these developments.
