Article 48

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1. The EU trade mark shall not be altered in the Register during the period of registration or on renewal thereof.

2. Nevertheless, where the EU trade mark includes the name and address of the proprietor, any alteration thereof not substantially affecting the identity of the trade mark as originally registered may be registered at the request of the proprietor.

3. The request for alteration shall include the element of the mark to be altered and that element in its altered version.

The Commission shall adopt implementing acts specifying the details to be contained in the request for alteration. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 163(2).

4. The request shall be deemed not to have been filed until the required fee has been paid. If the fee has not been paid or has not been paid in full, the Office shall inform the applicant accordingly. A single request may be made for the alteration of the same element in two or more registrations of the same proprietor. The required fee shall be paid in respect of each registration to be altered. If the requirements governing the alteration of the registration are not fulfilled, the Office shall communicate the deficiency to the applicant. If the deficiency is not remedied within a period to be specified by the Office, the Office shall reject the request.
5. The publication of the registration of the alteration shall contain a representation of the EU trade mark as altered. Third parties whose rights may be affected by the alteration may challenge the registration thereof within the period of three months following publication. Articles 41 and 42, and rules adopted pursuant to Article 42a shall apply to the publication of the registration of the alteration.