International Registration Modifications

Requests to be presented to IPOS

The following requests may be presented to IPOS for an international registration designated to Singapore.

Division of an International Registration

A holder of an international registration (IR) designating Singapore can request to divide the goods and/or services in an IR (“principal registration”) into 2 separate IRs (“divisional registrations”). This procedure may be useful to a holder whose IR faces a partial refusal from IPOS. The acceptable good and/or services could proceed to publication and/or registration without delay, while the objectionable goods and/or services in the IR could be divided out and dealt with separately.

Form MM22(E) should be filed with IPOS to divide an IR designating Singapore.

After the request has been examined by IPOS, it will be forwarded to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for further examination. If the request meets the formal requirements set out by WIPO, WIPO will create a divisional registration (with a new IR number) in respect of the goods and/or services to be divided out, and issue an official notification to IPOS and the holder. Upon receipt of the notification, IPOS shall proceed to record the division and notify the holder accordingly.

• One divisional registration will contain the goods/services which the holder requests to remain, under the IR number of the principal registration prior to division.

• The other divisional registration will contain the goods/services which the holder has requested to be divided out, under a new IR number.

• Each divisional registration on IPOS’ Register will bear a similar IPOS application number as the principal registration, except that they will each have a suffix added (e.g. “40202112345A-01”, “40202112345A-02”).

For more information on the requirements and effects of the division of IRs, please refer to WIPO’s website.

General Note(s) on Division of IRs

• The principal registration must not be a registered trade mark at the point of filing the request.

• The goods and/or services requested to be divided out must still fall within the scope of the goods and/or services claimed in the principal registration.

Merger of an International Registration

IPOS accepts requests to merge divisional international registrations (IR) designating Singapore, regardless of whether they have proceeded to registration in Singapore or not. This procedure may be useful to a holder who has previously divided his IR in an attempt to overcome a partial provisional refusal issued by IPOS. The divisional registrations could be merged into the principal registration that they were divided from, thereby enabling the holder to continue managing them under the same IR number as reflected on the International Register of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Form MM24(E) should be filed with IPOS to merge divisional IRs designating Singapore.

After the request has been examined by IPOS, it will be forwarded to the International Bureau of WIPO for further examination. If the request meets the formality requirements set out by WIPO, WIPO will issue a notification to IPOS and the holder of the IR. Upon receipt of the notification, IPOS shall proceed to amend the IR number of the divisional registration back to the original IR number of the principal registration and notify the holder accordingly.

• Following the completion of the merger recordal process, the divisional IRs will bear the same IR number but will continue to exist under separate IPOS application numbers on IPOS’ Register.

• Any existing deadlines applicable to the divisional registrations will continue to be effective after the merger is recorded by IPOS.

For more information on the requirements and effects of the merger of divisional IRs, please refer to WIPO’s website here.

General Note(s) on Merger of IRs

• The divisional registrations can only be merged into the principal registration on the International Register.

Requests to be presented to WIPO

Apart from the requests to be presented to IPOS listed above, all other requests for recordals in relation to international registrations designating Singapore filed under the Madrid Protocol, should be presented to WIPO.

Please refer to WIPO’s website on How to Manage Your International Registration for the possible IR transactions, as well as the Forms Required for the International Registration of a Mark.