Trademark Office – NJQ & Associates https://njq-ip.com Treat Your IP Thu, 19 Dec 2024 14:58:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.5 LIBYA: THE TRADEMARK OFFICE RETRACTED ITS DECISION RELATED TO POAS https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2024/10/libya-the-trademark-office-retracted-its-decision-related-to-poas/ Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:28:48 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11169 TRIPOLI – The Ministry of Commerce and Trade retracted its 14 February 2024 decision that required the submission of legalised powers of attorney (PoAs) on an annual basis.

Therefore, the requirement to submit a legalised PoA annually has been abolished.

For more information, please contact libya@qumsieh.com.

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SUDAN: THE TRADEMARK OFFICE RESUMES ITS OPERATIONS https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2024/02/sudan-the-trademark-office-resumes-its-operations/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 07:52:53 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11123 The Trademark Office in Sudan resumed its operations on 11 February 2024, after it was suspended for almost 10 months. It is now accepting new applications for registration, renewals, and recordals. The TMO will process new applications, put them on hold, and continue processing older pending applications.

Please note that the Trademark Office has relocated from Khartoum to Port Sudan.

For more information, please contact sudan@qumsieh.com.

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LIBYA: UPDATES AT THE TRADEMARK OFFICE https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2024/01/libya-updates-at-the-trademark-office/ Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:36:05 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11118 TRIPOLI – The Minister of Commerce and Trade issued Regulation No. 26 in 2024 regarding the trademark practice in Libya.

The main aspects of the new regulation are as follows:

  • Introduction of provisions to register and protect sound marks
  • Electronic publication of the accepted applications
  • Opposition period shortened from 60 days to 30 days
  • Adoption of the 11th Edition of Nice Classification
  • New increased official fees
  • Trademark protection is restricted to the trademark as applied for, i.e., Applications consisting of a black-and-white trademark will only protect the black-and-white version of the mark and will not extend to other coloured versions of the brand. The applied-for mark must be identical to the mark in use

This Decree was published on 17 January 2024 and will go into effect 30 days from the date of publication.

You can find a copy of the regulation here.

For more information, please contact libya@qumsieh.com.

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EGYPT: UPDATES IN THE IPO https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2023/08/egypt-updates-in-the-ipo/ Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:21:08 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11093 CAIRO – The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade, by Ministerial decree number 163 of 2022, has announced the formation of the Egyptian Authority for Intellectual Property (EAIP).

The Decree was published in the Official Gazette number 31(B) on 6 August 2022, where EAIP should be structured and start its operations within a year from the publication date, i.e., 6 August 2023.

EAIP will replace the General Administration of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Models of the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade in relation to all IP matters and will fulfil its duties. It will handle all IP-related transactions and become the point of contact for applicants and agents regarding new filings, renewals, recordals, and so on.

For more information, please contact egypt@qumsieh.com.

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LIBYA: THE TRADEMARK OFFICE RESUMES ITS OPERATIONS https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2023/05/libya-the-trademark-office-resumes-its-operations/ Mon, 29 May 2023 07:31:49 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11079 TRIPOLI – The Trademark Office of the Ministry of Economy and Trading resumed its operations on 28 May 2023.

There’s a new regulation to be followed where a legalised power of attorney and a company registration document must accompany the application; the late filing of such documents is only allowed for applications claiming priority. If this happens, the legalised documents must follow within forty (40) days from the date of the application.

For more information, please contact libya@qumsieh.com.

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LEBANON: THE IPO RESUMES OPERATIONS https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2022/09/lebanon-the-ipo-resumes-operations/ Mon, 26 Sep 2022 05:38:55 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=11017 BEIRUT – The Ministry of Economy & Trade has announced that the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) will resume its operations for all IP-related matters.

The IPO will prioritise the processing of already filed applications, renewals, and recordals with due dates.

Trademark applications, however, may be filed through the Ministry’s online filing portal every Wednesday.

For urgent trademark applications, applicants may file a petition before the head of the IPO requesting an expedited process. Said petition must explain the reasons for the request.

For more information, please contact lebanon@qumsieh.com.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: ISSUES A NEW TRADEMARK LAW https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2022/03/united-arab-emirates-issues-a-new-trademark-law/ Sun, 20 Mar 2022 12:26:56 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=10975 Official Gazette. The Law was entered into force on 1 March 2022]]> ABU DHABI – On September 2021, the Ministry of Economy in the UAE published a new Trademark Law, Federal Decree Law No. 36 of 2021 (the Law), in the Official Gazette. The Law was entered into force on 1 March 2022.

The implementing regulations have yet to be issued, but the summary below identifies the key features:


Trademark Scope
The Law expanded the scope of protection of trademarks to include 3D marks, sound marks, smell marks, colour marks, and hologram marks. In addition, it expanded the definition of trademarks to cover Geographical Indications (GI).

While GI was addressed in the previous law, the new Law regulated GI, included a definition of the term, and addressed the conflict between GI and trademarks.

The Law set up clear criteria to measure whether a trademark can fall under the well-known trademarks category. It has also introduced the possibility of filing series trademark applications.

It also opened the window for individual applicants to file trademark applications, while previously, only companies were allowed to register trademarks.

Finally, it is no longer mandatory to record trademark licenses at the Trademark Office (TMO) registry. There will be no effect for not recording the same.


Classification
The UAE now follows a multi-class filing system making it possible to file a single trademark application including multiple classes. Previously, each class had to go into a separate application.


Publication
The Law has omitted the requirement of publication in two local newspapers. Only publication in the Official Gazette remains required. This affects new trademark applications, renewals, recordals, and amendment applications.


Examination
The TMO will examine trademark applications within ninety (90) days from the date of the application rather than thirty (30) days as per the previous practice.


Trademark Grievances Committee
The Law changed the internal structure of the Trademark Grievances Committee (the Committee). It is now headed by a specialised judge nominated by the Minister of Justice and two specialised members appointed by the Ministry.

Normally, applicants/agents would have to file any objections to decisions issued by the TMO regarding applications, oppositions, and cancellations before the Committee. Now, after appealing the TMO’s decision, the Committee issues its decision, which can be appealed before the Federal Court of Appeals, opposite to the previous practice where appealing the TMO’s decision was possible before the Court of First Instance.


Trademark Enforcement
Unless a trademark was registered in bad faith, it would become irrevocable after five (5) years from the date of its registration, provided that it was not challenged during this period.

The Law provides a five-year term for a prior user of a trademark to request the cancellation of a registered trademark. It also delegates the Ministry to handle trademark cancellation actions regardless of the reason for the cancellation.

Finally, a significant increase in the penalty fines was set for trademark infringement.

For more information, please contact uae@qumsieh.com.

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NORTHERN IRAQ (KURDISTAN OF IRAQ): CLOSURE OF THE TRADEMARK OFFICE https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2020/12/northern-iraq-kurdistan-of-iraq-closure-of-the-trademark-office/ Tue, 15 Dec 2020 05:59:18 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=10866/ ERBIL – The Head of the Trademark Office in Erbil announced that the Office will be closed from 15 December 2020 until 7 January 2021. During this period, it will not be possible to file new trademark applications, and the Office will not render any services.

For more information, please contact erbil@qumsieh.com.

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YEMEN: UPDATES IN THE TRADEMARK OFFICE https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2020/02/yemen-updates-in-the-trademark-office/ Mon, 24 Feb 2020 11:28:00 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=10684/ SANA’A – The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced that the packaging of any medical product and equipment imported into the country or produced within the country must be registered as a trademark.

The Ministry believes that this decision will serve to better competition by enforcing strategies to reduce unfair trade behaviour, which helps to fight infringement while eliminating the chance of consumers passing off and confusion in the process.

For more information, please contact yemen@qumsieh.com.

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SOMALIA: UPDATES IN THE TRADEMARK OFFICE https://njq-ip.com/newsletters/2019/12/somalia-updates-in-the-trademark-office/ Tue, 10 Dec 2019 13:38:39 +0000 https://njq-ip.com/?post_type=newsletter&p=10647/ MOGADISHU – This is to advise that the Trademark Office in Somalia has resumed its operations as of November 2019, after being shut down.

The Office also introduced the following changes:

  • The office will only accept single-class applications, so filing a multi-class application is no longer possible.
  • A 100% increase in the official filing fees, now a total of USD$1000 per application.

Should you need further clarifications, please contact somalia@qumsieh.com.

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