Who initially owned the Engel & Volkers trademarks ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V?
Engel_Volkers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
E&V Residential, which previously owned the Trademarks ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V, licensed them to E&V International, who in turn licensed them to U.S. Holding GmbH to use them, and in turn, U.S. Holding GmbH licensed them to us. We also have the right to use the unregistered mark of the house pictured on the cover page of this disclosure document. Grund Genug Verlag, which owns the stylized GG trademarks, has licensed them to E&V International, which in turn licensed U.S. Holding GmbH, and, in turn, U.S. Holding GmbH has licensed them to us. All the license agreements are dated January 9, 2006.
E&V Residential transferred ownership of the ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V Trademarks to E&V Marken on February 7, 2008. E&V Marken in turn has licensed E&V Residential to use the marks they formerly owned. In 2025, E&V Marken and E&V Residential are expected to merge, leaving E&V Residential as the surviving entity. E&V Residential, will then again become the owner of the ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V trademarks.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 56–59)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Engel & Volkers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, E&V Residential initially owned the trademarks ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V. Subsequently, E&V Residential licensed these trademarks to E&V International, who then licensed them to U.S. Holding GmbH. U.S. Holding GmbH then licensed the trademarks to Engel & Volkers. On February 7, 2008, E&V Residential transferred ownership of the ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V Trademarks to E&V Marken.
In turn, E&V Marken has licensed E&V Residential to use the marks they formerly owned. As of 2025, E&V Marken and E&V Residential are expected to merge, with E&V Residential becoming the surviving entity and regaining ownership of the ENGEL & VÖLKERS and E&V trademarks.
For a prospective Engel & Volkers franchisee, this detailed history of trademark ownership and licensing highlights the importance of adhering to the specific guidelines for trademark usage outlined in the Franchise Agreement and System Documentation. Franchisees must recognize that they do not acquire any proprietary rights in the trademarks and that all goodwill established through their use inures to the benefit of E&V Marken or Grund Genug Verlag. Unauthorized use of the trademarks constitutes an infringement of their rights.
The franchisee is granted a non-exclusive right to use the service marks ENGEL & VÖLKERS®, E&V®, GG® and GG GLOBAL GUIDE®. Engel & Volkers maintains control over how these trademarks are used, especially in electronic commerce, to protect the brand's reputation. Franchisees must comply with Engel & Volkers' online policy and obtain prior written approval before filing any applications for trademark registration related to electronic commerce.