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The SCT met in May 2007 to discuss matters on trademark opposition, new types of marks, industrial designs and the protection of state emblems, names and abbreviations of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It also saw Mr. Michael Arblaster (IP Australia) elected as Chairman, Mr. Maximilliano Santa Cruz (Permanent Mission of Chile in Geneva) and Mr. Louis Chan Ken Yu (IPOS) elected as vice-chairpersons for this year.
Issues analysed were third party objections to trade mark opposition procedures, pre and post-registration oppositions, cooling off periods, and the effect of the abolition of relative ground examination on the rate of oppositions. The Committee will further discuss the key learning experiences of the various offices at the next meeting scheduled for November 2007.
Further, the Committee aims to collate a set of practices for member states concerning the representation of new marks such as three-dimensional marks, color marks and sound marks after considering their office practices.
The SCT also reviewed a questionnaire concerning industrial design (ID) registration systems covering design registration formalities and substantive ID law. The questionnaire aimed to study the ID protection landscape and to explore the interaction between trade marks, ID and copyright.
Lastly, the SCT considered how to improve the procedure for the protection of state emblems, names and abbreviations of NGOs under Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. The Secretariat gave a demonstration on a new on-line searchable database containing these emblems etc. which will be available for public access in the near future.
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