Bahrain – Updates

On December 25, 2004, the Industrial Property Directorate in Bahrain issued the following procedural circular:

Classification of Goods and Services:
The Trademark Office has adopted the amendment of the 8th edition of the Nice Classification splitting class 42 into classes 42, 43, 44 and 45. The Trademark Office has started to accept the filing of new applications in the above classes which will also be examined but kept pending for publication until the issuance of the new Trademark Law, which is currently before the Parliament for its approval. The said law is anticipated to come into force within the first half of 2005.

Renewal of Trademarks:
It will not be permitted from now onwards to affect the renewal of trademark registrations prior to the beginning of the last year of the protection period.

Renewal applications for the first period should be accompanied by a simple copy of the registration certificate and renewal applications for previously renewed trademark registration must be accompanied by a simple copy of the last renewal certificate issued for the mark.

Oppositions and Rejection Responses:
Counterstatements to oppositions and responses to rejection decisions should be submitted within a month from the notification date, which is extendable for sixty days maximum from the expiry of the one month, with an official request to be submitted to the Trademark Office.

All the above procedural directives will be implemented with immediate effect from the date of their issuance; i.e. December 25, 2004.

For any information or clarification on the above, our offices, charges or requirements, please feel free as always to contact us.