Non-conventional trademarks are protected under the same prerequisites applicable to traditional forms of trademarks both by the trademark law of the European Union as well as by harmonized national laws of the Member States. However, the relevant public often does not understand non-conventional forms as protectable trademarks. Then the trademark may be accepted for registration only on the basis of acquired distinctiveness. Once trademark protection has emerged the scope of protection of the trademark is usually limited. Apart from a few exceptions, the practical relevance of non-conventional trademarks is therefore (still) relatively low