As of 1 January 2026, the new 13th edition of the International (Nice) Classification of goods and services (version 2026), designated as NCL (13-2026), entered into force. All trademark applications filed as of that date onward are classified in accordance with this new classification.
The Nice Classification is an international system used for the classification of goods and services for the purposes of trademark registration. It was established by the Nice Agreement of 1957 and is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Today, the system is applied by more than 150 countries worldwide, including all EU member states and many other countries, including Serbia. The classification comprises 45 classes of goods and services (34 classes for goods and 11 classes for services), within which goods and services are grouped according to their nature.
New editions of the Nice Classification are published periodically (every three years), accompanied by regular annual updates. Most countries automatically accept the latest edition, and therefore wide practical application of the 2026 version is expected. In any case, it should be emphasized that existing registered trademarks do not need to be retroactively reclassified – they remain classified in accordance with the version of the Nice Classification applicable on the date of their registration.
The new edition of the Nice Classification introduces significant changes – certain goods and services have been transferred to different classes in order to achieve more logical classification based on their purpose, and new terms have been introduced to reflect contemporary products and services.
Below is an overview of the most important amendments that users of the trademark protection system should take into account:
A detailed list of all amendments by each class is available on the official WIPO website.
The new edition of the Nice Classification reflects the ongoing effort to group goods and services as precisely as possible according to their function and intended purpose. For applicants filing new trademark applications as of 2026, it is essential to use the correct and appropriate classes and terms from the new 13th edition in order to avoid objections during the registration process. WIPO has updated its electronic classification tool (Madrid Goods & Services Manager – MGS) to reflect the new version, and databases such as TMclass (EUIPO) also contain updated lists of acceptable terms, facilitating the selection of correct specifications when filing trademark applications.
Holders of previously registered trademarks and applicants who filed earlier trademark applications are not required to retroactively amend the classification of goods and services they registered of applied for – earlier registrations and applications remain recorded under the classes applicable at the time of registration. Nevertheless, it should be noted that, during a transitional period, both the previous and the new classifications will coexist for similar products. By way of example, trademarks for corrective spectacles registered prior to 2026 will formally remain in Class 9, while new applications for such goods will fall under Class 10. Consequently, when conducting prior-rights searches, it will be necessary to cover both classes (the former and the new) for the relevant goods or services. Importantly, the Nice Classification serves an administrative purpose – what ultimately matters is the actual scope of goods and services covered by the specification. Accordingly, competent authorities will assess product similarity in practice irrespective of the class number.
For new applications, it is advisable to carefully review the descriptions and classification of goods and services in line with the new edition. The Nice Classification is continuously adapted to reflect global developments and relevant market changes, which is directly mirrored in the expansion and modification of the classification of goods and services, with artificial intelligence representing one of the most evident and significant examples of this evolution. Therefore, if your business operates in areas affected by these changes (e.g. eyewear manufacturing, aromatherapy, or AI-based services), you should prepare specifications using the new terminology to avoid issues during examination. Furthermore, when renewing trademarks or voluntarily amending goods and services specifications, alignment with the new classification may be considered, provided that it does not narrow the scope of protection. In particular, in high-technology sectors, applicants should consider filing additional applications – for example, if a trademark holder now provides services based on artificial intelligence (AI), filing a trademark application to encompass Class 42 may be advisable in order to secure effective protection.
To access a PDF version of the 13th Edition, click here.
Authors: Anastasija Radanović, Nađa Gogić
