The 2016 Amendment to Thailand’s Trademark Act – Its Changes, Significance, and Consequences

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trademarkThailand has issued new amendments to its Trademark Act, which will enter into force in the end of July, this year. In order to  allow you to familiarize yourselves with the upcoming changes, our IPR SME Helpdesk expert Mr. Franck Fougere from Ananda Intellectual Property has kindly drafted for us a blog post explaining the amendments to the Trademark Act and discussing their significance for the SMEs.

The widely forecasted amendment to Thailand’s Trademark Act of B.E. 2534 (1991 A.D) will become effective on July 28, 2016. Significant structural policy changes will include Thailand’s ratification of the Madrid Protocol and acceptance of sound marks for registration. Several other changes to be introduced via the Amendment will affect the mechanics of trademark registration and prosecution, and, thus, intellectual property (IP) strategy. Anticipated changes to the registration and prosecution process are discussed below. Continue reading “The 2016 Amendment to Thailand’s Trademark Act – Its Changes, Significance, and Consequences” »

Proposed Revisions to the Chinese Patent Law (December 2015)

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PatentToday’s blog post has been kindly brought to you by our IPR expert Mr. Toby Mak from Tee & Howe Intellectual Property Attorneys. In his article, which was first published in UK Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) Journal,  Mr. Mak gives a detailed overview of the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office’s final draft of the proposed revisions to the Chinese Patent Law. 

In December 2015, the Chinese SIPO published their final draft of the proposed revisions (the proposal) to the Chinese Patent Law (the Law) to seek public opinion. Compare to the draft in April 2015 (please see my report in the May issue of the CIPA Journal), there are a lot of significant changes in this proposal, while many changes proposed in April 2015 were retained. This article reports these proposed revisions in the final draft, together with my comments.

As this article closely relates to mine published in May 2015 issue of the CIPA Journal, I will continue to use the same number scheme for various topics so that the two articles could be referred to each other.

To start with, let us have a look at the changes that have been retained and remain unchanged: Continue reading “Proposed Revisions to the Chinese Patent Law (December 2015)” »

Things to Consider before Filing a Trademark Application under the Madrid Protocol in Thailand

FotorCreated222Following an exciting webinar on the Madrid International Trade Mark System last week, our IPR SME Helpdesk  Expert Mr. Franck  Fougere  from Ananda  Intellectual Property has kindly drafted for us a blog post on the pros and cons of filing a trade mark application under the Madrid Protocol in Thailand.

The Madrid Protocol is a system that facilitates trademark applications in multiple countries. Thailand is expected to join the Madrid Protocol before the end of 2016. There are, however, issues that the prudent business owner should consider before filing a trademark application via the Madrid Protocol. These issues are of particular importance  for Thai businesses that plan to file applications in Thailand. Continue reading “Things to Consider before Filing a Trademark Application under the Madrid Protocol in Thailand” »

Good News! The Chinese Trademark Office is introducing Seven New Services for Trademark Applications.

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shutterstock_81193486-520x345Today our expert Rainy Liu from Beijing Lawconstant shares with us some good  news from the Chinese Trade Mark Office.

As of the 24 March 2016, the Chinese Trademark Office will

  • Issue a new ‘Guide to Common Questions for Trademark Applications’ which will address inquiries relating to the new Chinese Trademark Law.
  • No longer require notarisation of certified documents for trademark applications including; the image or name of celebrities, trademark assignment, revocation and correction of the name or address of foreign applicants.
  • Provide guidelines and explanations detailing appropriate responses to ‘official actions’.

Continue reading “Good News! The Chinese Trademark Office is introducing Seven New Services for Trademark Applications.” »

Recordal of Trademark License Agreements in Indonesia: Reality Check

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Somboon Earterasarun, from ASEAN law firm Tilleke & Gibbins, takes a look at the reality of licensing trade marks in Indonesia, with some helpful hints for those confused by the mismatch between the legal requirements and the official procedure.

 

 

Continue reading “Recordal of Trademark License Agreements in Indonesia: Reality Check” »