Can the Swiss cross be registered as a trademark?
Yes. The Swiss cross belongs to the public domain; this means that it must remain available to all market participants. Thus it may not be the only element of the trademark. In other words, the Swiss cross must be combined with at least another word or image in order to be registered as a trademark. This is referred to as a ‘combination mark’. Since the Swiss cross may also not be deceptive regarding the geographical origin, a trademark with a Swiss cross may only be registered for goods or services originating in Switzerland. For further information, read our Trademark Guidelines, section 4, numeral 8.7 (in German or French). The Swiss Confederation and its businesses may register the coat of arms as an element of a trademark, however, only for goods which are completely (i.e., 100%) manufactured in Switzerland, or for services which they offer themselves.
