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European Commission Publishes Proposals to Modernize EU Trademark Systems

31-Mar-2013 | Source : | Visits : 7797
BRUSSELS - The International Trademark Association (INTA) welcomed in a press release the publication of the European Commission’s proposals to improve and update the EU Trademark System. The proposals address system improvements to the Community Trade Mark Regulation (CTMR) and Trade Marks Directive (TMD), as well as the rules governing the fee structures of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).

With the flow of counterfeit goods through the EU on the rise, the European Commission has clarified the rules to permit customs officials to seize counterfeit goods transiting through the EU. These provisions will make it more difficult for counterfeiters to use the EU as a hub for importing and distributing potentially dangerous counterfeit goods, and they reaffirm the EU’s commitment to protecting consumers and businesses against such products.

Other proposed improvements include the creation of a legal basis for cooperation between national trademark offices and OHIM, clearer governance rules for OHIM’s Management Board, and provisions to better harmonize the procedures of the trademark offices in EU Member States.

“The publication of the official proposals is an important step forward for the Community Trademark System,” said Alan C. Drewsen, Executive Director of INTA. “We hope that the final legislation will improve cooperation between OHIM and national offices, and streamline the application and fee procedures to make it easier for trademark owners to register and protect their brands in today’s European market.”

INTA will soon issue a detailed analysis on the drafts and suggest recommendations during the legislative process.

Founded in 1878, the International Trademark Association (INTA) is a worldwide association of member companies and firms that support the advancement of trademarks and intellectual property as elements of fair and effective global commerce. Members include more than 6,200 trademark owners, legal professionals and academics from more than 190 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark research, policy development, education and training, and international network. Headquartered in New York City, INTA also has offices in Shanghai, Brussels and Washington, D.C., and representatives in Geneva and Mumbai.

INTA is one of the associations representing CTM users as an Observer on OHIM’s Administrative Board and Budget Committee.
 
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