Regulations Governing Use of the ATC (Aromatherapy Trade Council) Collective Mark

Trademark Application No: UK00004277664

Mark: ATC AROMATHERAPY TRADE COUNCIL (Figurative)

Date: 17 February 2026

1. Owner and Contact Details
1.1 The proprietor (owner) of the collective mark is The Aromatherapy Trade Council (ATC).

1.2 Correspondence address: 4 Pearson Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TX, United Kingdom.

1.3 These Regulations govern the use of the ATC AROMATHERAPY TRADE COUNCIL collective mark applied for under UK00004277664 (the “Collective Mark”).

2. Purpose and Meaning of the Collective Mark
2.1 The Collective Mark is used to indicate that the user is a current ATC member in good standing and that the member has agreed to comply with the ATC Code of Practice and relevant ATC policies.

2.2 The Collective Mark is intended to help consumers and businesses identify members who support responsible practice in the aromatherapy and essential oil sector, including safety-focused information, accurate marketing and compliant labelling practices.

2.3 The Collective Mark is not a certification mark and does not constitute an approval, guarantee or warranty by ATC of any particular product, service, person, outcome or regulatory compliance status. Each member remains responsible for its own legal and regulatory compliance.

2.4 The Aromatherapy Trade Council (ATC) retains control over the use of the Collective Mark and over the criteria governing eligibility for membership and continued permission to use the mark.

3. Who May Use the Collective Mark
3.1 Only ATC members holding a current, fully paid membership and remaining in good standing may use the Collective Mark.

3.2 Membership categories may include (as applicable from time to time):

• Practitioner members (individual therapists and aromatherapists).
• Brand Owner members (product-line owners/managers).
• Consultant members (educators, trainers and compliance or technical professionals supporting the sector).
• Supplier members (businesses supplying goods/services to the aromatherapy sector).
• Full membership (where activities span more than one category).

3.3 A member is ‘in good standing’ if the member:
a) has paid all membership fees due and has not cancelled in a manner that ends membership;

b) has not been suspended or subject to restrictions on use of the Collective Mark; and

c) complies with the ATC Code of Practice and relevant ATC policies (including conservation and environmental principles where applicable).

3.4 ATC may require members to confirm, at joining and renewal and/or on request, that they continue to meet the relevant membership criteria and comply with these Regulations.

4. Conditions of Use
4.1 Permitted uses (subject to these Regulations) include display of the Collective Mark:
a) on the member’s website, social media, business stationery and promotional materials;

b) on product labels, packaging, point-of-sale materials and marketing materials for aromatherapy/essential oil products supplied by the member;

c) on certificates, educational materials and course marketing produced by members where relevant to their membership category.

4.2 Use must be honest and not misleading. The Collective Mark must only be used in relation to the member’s own business and only for goods/services that fall within the member’s ATC-related activities.

4.3 The Collective Mark must be used exactly as supplied by ATC. The member must not:
a) alter, distort, redraw, translate, animate or otherwise modify the Collective Mark;

b) combine the Collective Mark with other logos/words in a way that creates a new mark;

c) use the Collective Mark as part of the member’s own trademark or business name.

4.4 A member must use the correct version of the logo/mark for its membership category where ATC supplies category-specific versions.

4.5 If ATC supplies a brand guide or logo-use guidance (including minimum size/clear space/colour rules), members must follow it.

4.6 Recommended accompanying wording: when practical, members should describe use as ‘ATC Member’ or ‘Member of the Aromatherapy Trade Council’ and avoid statements suggesting ATC has approved or certified products or therapeutic outcomes.

5. Prohibited Uses
5.1 The Collective Mark must not be used:
a) by non-members, former members or any third party;

b) after membership ends, is suspended, or while the member is not in good standing;

c) in a way that suggests ATC, any regulator, or any governmental body has endorsed, certified, licensed or approved the member or its products/services;

d) in connection with medicinal claims or other claims that breach the ATC Code of Practice (including claims that would cause an essential oil or aromatherapy product to be presented as a medicinal product);

e) in any misleading, deceptive, defamatory or unlawful manner.

5.2 The Collective Mark must not be used on products/services that are not the member’s own, or to imply membership of another entity, group, scheme or standard unrelated to ATC.

5.3 The Collective Mark must not be sub-licensed, assigned, sold, transferred or otherwise made available to any third party without ATC’s prior written permission.

6. Authorisation to Use the Collective Mark
6.1 Authorisation is granted automatically upon acceptance of membership and payment of fees, subject always to these Regulations.

6.2 ATC may issue members with a logo pack and/or written permission to use the Collective Mark. Use is a personal (non-transferable) permission limited to the member while membership remains active and in good standing.

6.3 ATC may require pre-approval of certain uses (for example, high-visibility packaging applications or large scale advertising) where necessary to protect the reputation of the Collective Mark.

6.4 Short licence wording (deemed accepted by use):
“ATC grants the member a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable permission to use the ATC AROMATHERAPY TRADE COUNCIL collective mark solely to indicate current membership, in accordance with the Regulations governing use. This permission continues only while the member remains in good standing.”

7. Monitoring, Control and Policing
7.1 ATC maintains control over the Collective Mark by:
a) setting membership criteria and requiring adherence to the ATC Code of Practice and policies;

b) providing permitted logo files and (where applicable) category-specific versions;

c) maintaining membership records and (where applicable) directories; and

d) investigating complaints and conducting reasonable checks to ensure correct use.

7.2 Monitoring methods may include:
a) periodic sampling of members’ websites, marketing materials and/or product labelling;

b) responding to public or member complaints;

c) requesting evidence from a member to confirm compliance with these Regulations (for example, packaging proofs, screenshots, or marketing copy).

7.3 Members must cooperate promptly and in good faith with ATC’s reasonable requests connected to monitoring and enforcement of the Collective Mark.

7.4 Where ATC believes the Collective Mark is being used incorrectly or by a non-member, ATC may request removal, correction, or other appropriate steps to prevent consumer confusion and protect the integrity of the Collective Mark.

7.5 Enforcement of these Regulations may be carried out in accordance with the ATC Complaints Policy and the ATC Disciplinary and Appeals Policy, which form part of the governance framework supporting the ATC Collective Mark.

8. Sanctions for Misuse
8.1 If ATC determines, acting reasonably, that there has been a breach of these Regulations, ATC may take one or more of the following actions (with or without prior warning, depending on severity):
a) issue a written warning and require corrective action within a specified timeframe;

b) require immediate removal of the Collective Mark from specified materials;

c) impose conditions on future use (for example, pre-approval of certain uses);

d) suspend permission to use the Collective Mark for a defined period;

e) terminate permission to use the Collective Mark and/or terminate membership in accordance with ATC’s governance documents and procedures;

f) take further action as reasonably appropriate to protect the Collective Mark, including notifying relevant platforms or pursuing legal remedies.

8.2 Where an issue relates to product marketing, labelling or claims, ATC may require amendments to wording and/or removal of non-compliant claims in line with the ATC Code of Practice and applicable law.

8.3 ATC’s actions under these Regulations do not limit any other rights or remedies available to ATC under law or under its membership terms.

9. Ending Membership: Required Actions
9.1 On termination, expiry, cancellation or suspension of membership (for any reason), the former member must immediately cease all use of the Collective Mark.

9.2 The former member must remove the Collective Mark from:
a) websites, social media profiles and online listings within 7 days; and

b) new print runs of packaging, labels and marketing materials with immediate effect.

9.3 For physical stock already in circulation, the former member must not apply the Collective Mark to any new stock and must take reasonable steps to prevent further distribution of newly branded materials. ATC may agree a practical wind-down plan in writing where appropriate, but ATC is not obliged to do so.

9.4 Any digital logo files supplied by ATC must be deleted upon request.

10. Change of Ownership, Control, or Business Transfer
10.1 Members must notify ATC in writing within 14 days of:

• any sale of the business;
• transfer or assignment of the business or its assets;
• merger, acquisition, or restructuring;
  
• change in legal entity; or
• material change in ownership or control.

10.2 Permission to use the Collective Mark is personal to the member and does not automatically transfer to any purchaser, successor, or new owner.

10.3 Any new owner or successor must apply separately for ATC membership and must not use the Collective Mark unless and until membership is approved and permission granted by ATC.

10.4 The Collective Mark must not be used by any successor entity unless authorised in writing by ATC.

10.5 ATC may require immediate removal of the Collective Mark following any change of ownership or control.

11. Disputes, Review and Appeals
11.1 If a member disagrees with a decision made under these Regulations (for example, suspension of permission), the member may request an internal review by submitting written representations to ATC within 14 days of receiving the decision notice.

11.2 ATC will consider the representations and may uphold, vary or withdraw the decision. ATC may invite further information or a meeting where it considers that helpful and proportionate.

11.3 This review process may be supported by the ATC Disciplinary and Appeals Policy.

11.4 Nothing in this section limits ATC’s ability to take urgent interim steps (including immediate suspension of permission) where necessary to protect consumers, comply with law, or protect the reputation of the Collective Mark.

12. General
12.1 ATC may amend these Regulations from time to time. Updated Regulations will apply from the date they are published or otherwise communicated to members.

12.2 If any provision of these Regulations is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

12.3 These Regulations are governed by the law of England and Wales. Courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory legal provisions.

Appendix B: Non-exhaustive Examples (Guidance)
B.1 Acceptable: “Proud ATC Member” displayed on a practitioner’s website, with the ATC logo used unaltered.
B.2 Acceptable: ATC logo on a product label to indicate the brand owner is an ATC member, provided it does not imply the product is approved/certified by ATC.
B.3 Not acceptable: “ATC approved” / “ATC certified” / “Regulator approved” claims alongside the logo.
B.4 Not acceptable: Use of the ATC logo by a non-member stockist, marketplace seller or affiliate marketing partner.