The Trade Mark Office in the UAE implemented the WIPO IPAS system for the management of all its internal processes early in 2012. The system is described as excellent and requires that all steps in the various processes be undertaken. The Trade Mark Office has suffered from a shortage of staff for a number of years and many files have been misplaced in the archiving system.
New staff are to join the Trade Mark Office team shortly.
The Trade Mark Office is currently:
The Trade Mark Office practice on dealing with changes of address is changing. Previously, the Trade Mark Office would rely on a Power of Attorney from the registrant with the new address as sufficient to record the change. The Trade Mark Office is now asking for a change of address certificate (legalised) showing each change of address in sequence. Official fees are now payable for each change of address (AED250). The Trade Mark Office is, at least, not asking that each change of address be published in the Trade Mark Journal (AED500).
This part of the Empty Quarter sees high official fees as a barrier to use of the trade mark registration system and, while applauding a robust process, hopes that official fees can be reduced generally or waived in specific circumstances to encourage use of the system. This part of the Empty Quarter is pleased to see the pending matters being moved on and new staff recruited as both should encourage users of the system.
New staff are to join the Trade Mark Office team shortly.
The Trade Mark Office is currently:
- processing unexamined applications from 2011 and earlier.
- asking agents to provide lists of applications from 2011 and earlier to assist in dealing with the pending matters.
- keeping applications filed in 2012 pending.
- dealing with some post registration applications.
The Trade Mark Office practice on dealing with changes of address is changing. Previously, the Trade Mark Office would rely on a Power of Attorney from the registrant with the new address as sufficient to record the change. The Trade Mark Office is now asking for a change of address certificate (legalised) showing each change of address in sequence. Official fees are now payable for each change of address (AED250). The Trade Mark Office is, at least, not asking that each change of address be published in the Trade Mark Journal (AED500).
This part of the Empty Quarter sees high official fees as a barrier to use of the trade mark registration system and, while applauding a robust process, hopes that official fees can be reduced generally or waived in specific circumstances to encourage use of the system. This part of the Empty Quarter is pleased to see the pending matters being moved on and new staff recruited as both should encourage users of the system.
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