Why bother with trademark protection?

Only through trademark protection can you prevent competitors from using an identical or similar trademark. In the Benelux registration not use is a prerequisite for protection. Example: you use the trademark TIGER for tractors. Your competitor  enters the market and uses the trademark TIJGER for tractors. You have no registration but your competitor does. He can stop you from using your trademark, even if you have been using it for years. Moreover, do not forget to register your company name as a trademark in the Benelux. If you do not do so, you will only have the protection afforded to company names by Dutch law concerning trade names. This is limited to the area in which your company is actually trading. When you wish to expand your activities outside that area, you may find you cannot do so because another party has registered your company name as a trademark and therefore has obtained protection throughout the Benelux. Register your company name as a trademark to prevent this from happening.