The Singapore Treaty over Trademarks Rights will enter into effect in 2009

January 15, 2009

The Singapore Treaty over Trademarks Rights will enter into effect in 2009
In 2009 will enter into effect a new international treaty, setting up regulations ruling trademarks registration proceedings, further to the ratification made by Australia on December 16, 2008. It is the tenth country ratifying the Singapore Treaty over Trademarks Rights (“the Singapore Treaty”), and enabling the Treaty to become in force as from March 16, 2009.
The OMPI’s Director General, Francis Gurry, congratulate himself with this news. He also said that having the Singapore Treaty in force, offer excellent perspectives to the owner of trademarks worldwide, because it allows the industry of trademarked products to obtain trademarks registrations and manage the corresponding rights in an efficient manner vs. costs. The Director General affirmed this is a highly positive circumstance for the companies trying to make savings and to maintain its position in the market, within a so troubled time as the present one.

The Country members of the OMPI in Singapore approved the Singapore Treaty, on March 28, 2006. The Singapore Treaty harmonizes the procedures for registration and granting of trademarks licenses, allowing the owners of trademarks and competent national administration to render efficient services, taking advantage of modern communications technologies to process trademarks applications and manage trademarks rights, actually under evolution. When harmonizing the norms ruling the procedures of registration and granting of trademarks licenses, the Treaty creates a uniform frame for all economical agents investing on trademarked products. The Treaty reflexes the evolution suffered by the industry of trademarked products and constitutes an innovative approach when getting investment to differentiate products. To elaborate a trademark, it is necessary to count with high creativeness and large investments; therefore, industry should imperatively obtain this financial support. The Singapore Treaty contemplates new norms for Trademarks Bureaus, applicable to all kind of trademarks, and takes into account the advantages and potential offered by electronic communication means, without leaving aside the differences on this regard that exist between under developing countries and developed countries. Also, by means of an Conference of Contracting Parties, a dynamic ruling frame is established, which is part of an examination mechanism that serves to guarantee that concrete interests of trademarks owner, as well as necessities of under developing countries are still being taken into account within the international legal scope.

For more information, address to: Sección de la OMPI de Relaciones con los
E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/es/articles/2008/article_0068.html