INTERNATIONAL TRADE MARK GOINGS ON

Grumpy Brits head to Spain…

This Friday is British Day at OHIM. Representatives of various British organisations and officials are heading to Alicante to discuss various issues of mutual concern. The full agenda is here and includes e-business, CTMs, CDs, fee management and various administrative matters. High on the agenda are the effect of Pratiker-Bau and overwide goods and services specifications. However, The Lawyer reports that the UK delegation

will fly into Alicante this week to vent frustrations about delays and problems at European trademark registry the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM)

and will quiz the OHIMistas about delays in oppositions and appeals and difficulties with online filing.

The IPKat is always amused about the British taking the moral high ground when it comes to efficiency, though we do have a Patent Office that runs like greased lightning.


…while the smart money’s on Singapore

Xinahu reports that today saw the opening of the Diplomatic Conference to adopt the revised WIPO Trademark Law Treaty in Singapore. Many of the revisions are aimed at ensuring that trade mark registration keeps up to date with technological advances, but the IPKat notes that the revisions could have an effect on substantive law, in so far as they call for Member countries to allow the registration of certain non-traditional signs which are difficult to represent graphically.