Trademark Portfolio Management

1
Trademark Portfolio Management
WIPO, Seminar on IP and Creative SMEs Geneva,
May 18, 2009

• Prof. Dr. Martin Senftleben
• VU University Amsterdam
• Bird Bird, The Hague

2
The problem

• national route
• file in many Offices
• in many languages
• fees in many currencies
• numerous national agents
• results in many national registrations
• requires many renewals
• changes to be recorded via each national Office

solution 1 harmonisation of national procedures
solution 2 bundle of registrations via central
procedure
solution 3 transnational trademark law system
3
Strategic considerations

• type of trademark
• link with a specific cultural context?
• universal basis for marketing activities in
  foreign countries?
• description of goods and services
• different approaches, for instance, in EC and US
• requirement of use
• portfolio management
• registration and administration costs
• languages, dates, trademark watch

4
Strategic considerations

• portfolio management
• central or decentral structure?
• establishment of a trademark holding?
• tax efficiency

5
Case Study I
Switzerland
uncontrolled accumulation of registrations
6
Streamlining via the EC system?
Switzerland
uncontrolled accumulation of registrations
7
EC route Community trademark (CTM)

• filing in an official EC language
• indication of a second language for opposition,
  revocation or invalidity procedures
  (art. 115 CTMR
  EN, FR, DE, IT, ES)
• seniority claims (art. 34 CTMR)
• conversion in case the registration is refused,
  withdrawn or ceased to have effect
  
  (art. 112 CTMR)

8
Claiming seniority
1.1.2009
1.1.2007
1.1.2008
A registers the mark Y.
B registers the conflicting mark YY.
A registers Y as a CTM claiming the seniority of
the earlier identical mark in respect of Germany.
9
Conversion

• filing date of CTM application maintained
  
  (including potential priority date)
• seniority guaranteed
• designated EC Member States can ask
• payment of national fees
• translation into an official language of the
  State concerned
• address in the State concerned
• reproduction of the trademark

10
Streamlining via international route?
Switzerland
uncontrolled accumulation of registrations
11
Madrid Union (84 Members)
12
Overview of the System

• Madrid Agreement (A)
• Madrid Agreement of April 14, 1891
• Madrid Protocol (P)
• Madrid Protocol of June 27, 1989
• common regulations
• administrative instructions
• national law (Madrid interface)

13
Basic principle
extension of protection from one Member of the
Madrid Union to other Members
14
Resulting procedure
national basis registration (A/P), application
(P)
Certifies particulars in international
application particulars in basic application
or basic registration
OFFICE OF ORIGIN
InternationalApplication
Checks formalities Records in the International
Register Publishes in the International
Gazette Notifies designated Contracting Parties
INTERNATIONALBUREAU
substantial examination
within 12/18/18 months
OFFICE OFDESIGNATEDCONTRACTINGPARTY
no refusal effect of a national registration
refusal
15
Stages of extension
further steps subsequent designations (further
markets)
first step designation of Union Members in the
initial application
16
Designation of the EC
17
Claiming seniority (MM17)
18
Procedure

• WIPO notifies EC Office (OHIM)
• publication in the WIPO Gazette together with the
  international registration
• on request by OHIM evidence of earlier national
  registration (directly submitted to OHIM)
• certified copy
• photocopy
• extract of an official database

19
Conversion two options (art. 159 CTMR)
European according to the rules of the CTMR
(arts. 112-114 CTMR)
translation required
international transformation into a subsequent
designation (rule
24(7) CR) no
translation required
20
Subsequent designation

• date of designation of the EC and potential
  seniority claims maintained
• portfolio remains within the Madrid System
• central administration (change of name, address,
  holder)
• central renewal date

subsequent designation
international registration
expiry
21
Designation of the US
22
Description of goods and services
basic description
international description
specific description for the US
23
Declaration on Intention of use (MM18)
24
Case Study II
Which basis for an international application?
25
Protocol Member as a basis
P
P
United States of America
P
AP
P
Albania
European Community
A
Egypt
26
Agreement-only Members of the Madrid Union

• Egypt
• Algeria
• Kazakhstan

• Liberia
• Sudan
• Tajikistan

27
Refusal period (art. 5(2))
Agreement
12 months
12 or 18 months
Protocol
18 months in case of opposition
28
Fee structure (art. 8)

• Agreement
• basic fee
• for each class beyond 3
• supplementary fee
• for each designated State
• complementary fee

• Protocol
• basic fee
• for each class beyond 3
• supplementary fee
• for each designated Party
• complementary fee

optional individual fee (art. 8(7))
29
Risk of a central attack
5 years after the international registration
no longer any influence, dependency (-) (art.
6(2))
before expiry of the period of 5 years
risk of a central attack, dependency () (art.
6(3))
EC designation conversion
(arts. 112-114 CTMR)
Protocol transformation (art. 9quinquies MP)
30
Party to both treaties as a basis
A
O
Egypte
P
AP
P
AP
Europese Gemeenschap
Switzerland
AP
AP
China
31
Repeal of the safeguard clause

• historically Agreement takes precedence
• amended art. 9sexies of the Protocol
• This Protocol alone shall be applicable as
  regards the mutual relations of States party to
  both this Protocol and the Madrid (Stockholm)
  Agreement.
• a declaration made under Article 5(2)(b),
  Article 5(2)(c) or Article 8(7) of this Protocol,
  by a State party to both this Protocol and the
  Madrid (Stockholm) Agreement, shall have no
  effect in the relations with another State party
  to both this Protocol and the Madrid (Stockholm)
  Agreement.

32
Influence on refusal periods
Agreement
12 months
12 of 18 months
Protocol
18 months in case of opposition
33
Influence on fees

• Agreement
• basic fee
• for each class beyond 3
• supplementary fee
• for each designated State
• complementary fee

• Protocol
• basic fee
• for each class beyond 3
• supplementary fee
• for each designated Party
• complementary fee

optional individual fee (art. 8(7))
34
Same possibilities of transformation
5 years after the international registration
no longer any influence, dependency (-) (art.
6(2))
before expiry of the period of 5 years
risk of a central attack, dependency () (art.
6(3))
EC designation conversion
(art. 159 CTMR)
Protocol transformation (art. 9quinquies MP)
35
Case Study III
Switzerland
countries which cannot be reached via
transnational systems
36
National route harmonisation treaties
2006 Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks
1994 Trademark Law Treaty
37
Advantages

• definition of maximum requirements for
• applications (filing date requirements)
• requests for
• changes (name/address/ownership)
• corrections of mistakes
• renewal
• no legalization or certification of signatures
• enhanced legal certainty and security
• familiar framework in all Contracting Parties
• relief measures (extension, continued processing,
  reinstatement of rights)

38
Singapore Treaty
in force since March 16, 2009

• Australia
• Bulgaria
• Denmark
• Kyrgyzstan
• Latvia
• Poland

• Republic of Moldova
• Romania
• Singapore
• Switzerland
• United States of America

39
The End. Thank you!

• contact m.senftleben_at_rechten.vu.nl