One filing covering twenty-seven countries — and one earlier right in any one of them can bring the whole thing down. The efficiency and the risk are the same feature.
The EPO grants, then you validate country by country or take the Unitary Patent covering the participating states as one right. No EU-wide utility model exists, though several member states have their own national versions.
An EU trade mark is unitary. An earlier right in a single member state can block or invalidate it everywhere, which is why the clearance search has to cover national registers too, not just the EU one.
Use in part of the Union can be enough, but it must be genuine commercial use. A registration parked for five years is exposed to cancellation by anyone who wants the name.
The EPO examines and grants, then the patent is validated country by country — unless you take the Unitary Patent, which covers the participating states as a single right. The choice affects both cost and how a challenge plays out.
A registered Community design runs up to twenty-five years, the longest on this map. Unregistered protection also exists for a short period, which can rescue a product already launched.