NEWS - MARCH 2008
PCT:
WIPO report a record 156,100 PCT applications filed in 2006, a 4.7% increase over 2006.
For the fourth year running the most substantial growth in filings came from countries in North-East Asia, representing in 2007 25.8% of all PCT applications filed. Notably the number of applications from The Republic of Korea (7,061) increased by 18.8% in 2007, to rate as the fourth largest country of origin of PCT applications, and applications from China (5,456) grew by 38.1%, moving China to seventh position in the filing table, overtaking the Netherlands (4,186). In 2007, the list was again topped by applications from the USA (52,941), Japan (27,731) and Germany (18,134).
Matsushita of Japan rated as the highest user of the PCT system, with 2,100 applications published in 2007, overtaking Philips Electronics N.V. of the Netherlands (2,041 applications published in 2007).
Further details may be found on the WIPO web site at:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2008/article_0006.html
INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARKS:
According to WIPO there were a record number of international trademarks filed under the Madrid system; 39,945 applications, a 9.5% increase over filings in 2006.
Applicants from Germany filed the highest number of applications in 2007, for the 15th consecutive year, followed by applicants from France, the USA and the EC. China was again the most designated country in international trademark applications, followed by Russia, the USA, Switzerland and the EC.
For more details see the WIPO web site at:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2008/article_0007.html
Community Trademarks:
On 10 March 2008 OHIM introduced a new optional search system for national searches on CTM applications. Under the new search system OHIM will continue to automatically search for potentially conflicting earlier CTMs, however the national searches become optional on the payment of an additional fee (192 Euros).
The national search must be requested on filing and covers all of the national offices that have elected to carry out searches, i.e. it is not possible to select individual national searches. Of the 27 member states only 16 will conduct national searches (Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The optional national searches are in many cases of limited value, particularly since many key countries such as Germany, France, Benelux and Italy are not included.
More information may be found in the OHIM press release:
http://oami.europa.eu/en/mark/marque/pdf/optionalsearches.pdf |
