STOP PRESS: SINGAPORE TREATY DONE AND DUSTED

The IPKat has heard from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks has just been adopted, today. The WIPO press statement reads, in relevant part, as follows:

TREATY TO FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

A new international treaty on trademarks, to be known as the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks ... was adopted on March 28, 2006 by member states of ... WIPO. The new treaty concludes efforts by WIPO’s member states to update the 1994 Trademark Law Treaty (TLT) and bring it in line with the technological developments of the past decade.

[Message of thanks etc from Dr Idris (left), followed by lots of boring padding that will presumably be of great interest to non-IP readers]

The Singapore Treaty deals mainly with procedural aspects of trademark registration and licensing. By agreeing to common standards in that area, member stares [the IPKat thinks this should be "states" create a level playing field for all economic operators that invest in branded goods. More than that, the Singapore Treaty creates a dynamic regulatory framework for brand rights. Due to the creation of an Assembly of the contracting parties, the Treaty has a built-in review mechanism for administrative details of a less order, although of great practical importance for brand owners.

The Treaty recognizes developments in the branded goods industry and marks a new approach to securing investment in product differentiation. Brands are no longer confined to stickers or labels on goods; today, the brand stands for the product’s identity. Creativity and investment goes into the development of brands, and it is vital for the industry to be able to secure that investment. New rules applicable to all types of trademarks, as contained in the Singapore Treaty, address those needs. The Singapore Treaty takes into account the advantages and potential of electronic communication facilities, while recognizing the varying needs of both developing and developed nations. During negotiations some developing and least developed states expressed concern about their ability to fully benefit from the Treaty. These discussions resulted in a firm commitment by industrialized countries to provide adequate technical assistance and other forms of support to strengthen the institutional capacity of those countries to enable them to take full advantage of the Treaty".

The IPKat is pleased that so many diplomats and government officials have been made so happy - and that this happiness has resulted in the creation of yet another Assembly. Merpel says, I've just conducted a search of the WIPO website for "Singapore Treaty" and received the following response:

"No results were found for your search.

Your query is too restrictive.
You might want to try: singapore treaty".

Can someone please throw us a link to the Treaty text so we can give it a read?