The package comprises a new Directive, which harmonises the trade mark laws of the EU Member States, and an amending Regulation, which sets out the rules applicable to the Community Trade Mark (CTM) – the unitary trade mark right covering all 28 Member States of the EU – and to the Office which administers the CTM.
In a series of blog posts throughout January, Stobbs IP Limited will look at these upcoming changes (big and small) and what they mean for brand owners and practitioners.
The most immediate of these changes is the Regulation which comes into force on 23 March 2016. This affects what (until now) has been known as the CTM. This new Regulation makes changes in three main areas: trade mark fees; technical practice changes; and institutional changes for the Office.
Stobbs has so far looked at:
- New names and terminology: the most immediately visible changes brought about by the Regulation: the new name for the CTM, (which will become the European Union Trade Mark) and the new name for the Office (OHIM will become the European Union Intellectual Property Office).
- Changes in the official fees for obtaining and renewing CTMs/EUTMs and other fees.
- Trade mark specifications.
- New Certification Marks .
Follow the links above to read complete articles on these subjects.
If you have any questions on the new legislation and how it might affect you, please contact Stobbs, a local trade mark and brand consultancy based in Histon and one of the UK’s leading trade mark firms, having been awarded Tier 1 status by the Legal 500.
www.stobbsip.com
Stobbs IP Limited, Endurance House, Vision Park, Chivers Way, Cambridge, CB24 9ZR
Tel. 01223 435240 Fax. 01223 425258 [email protected]
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