Annual Technical Report 2002 on Trademark Information Activities submitted by Malawi (SCIT/ATR/TM/2002/MW)
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I. Evolution of registration activities
Changes experienced in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to the previous year
In 2001, there were 641 applications filed and in 2002, there were 578. Registrations in 2001 were 619 and in 2002, were 448.
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
In the year 2001, we filed more applications i.e. 641 than in the year 2002 the number of applications were 578.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of secondary sources of trademark information, i.e., trademark gazettes
Publishing, printing, copying techniques
Trademarks journals are produced monthly and copies are sent to ARIPO, WIPO and other National Industrial Property Offices on reciprocal basis.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information
There is one type of announcements in the field of trademark information which is trademark journals and it is produced monthly.
Mass storage media and microforms used
Trademark information is kept in two forms i.e. paper form and electronic form because we haven't captured all information.
Word processing and office automation
We are using CDs / ISIS.
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information are: filing of renewals, assignments, change of name, restoration, issuing notice of acceptance and rejection.
III. Matters concerning classifying, reclassifying and indexing of trademark information
Classification and reclassification activities; Classification systems used, e.g., International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification), International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification), other classification (please indicate whether goods and services for the registration of marks and whether the figurative elements of marks are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification(s) is (are) used)
The international classification of goods and services for the purpose of registration of marks ( Nice Classification ) is used and carried out by the applicants and verified by the Office. No other classification of trademark is used.
Use of electronic classification systems to check the classification symbols furnished by an applicant and which are contained in the lists of goods and/or services
Nothing to report.
Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied
Applicants do use pre-defined terms of the classification applied.
Bibliographic data and processing for search purposes
Nothing to report.
IV. Trademark manual search file establishment and upkeep
File Building
File building is carried out in the course of filing, examining, issuing of notice of acceptance and rejection.
Updating
Our files are updated as soon as we have received application forms of change of name, renewals, assignments, cancellation and change of business address.
Storage, including mass storage media
Information is kept in two forms i.e. in paper form and electronic form.
Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file
Nothing to report.
V. Activities in the field of computerized trademark search systems
In-house systems (online/offline)
Nothing to report.
External databases
Nothing to report.
Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics, administrative support, etc.)
Nothing to report.
Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used
Compaq machine, Microsoft windows 2000 professional.
VI. Administration of trademark services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, registering trademarks, assisting clients with search procedures, obtaining official publications and registry extracts)
Planning, administration, automation, security
Nothing to report
Collection management, preservation
Nothing to Report.
Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and trademark information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web)
Nothing to report.
VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of trademark documentation and information
International or regional cooperation in the exchange of trademark information, e.g., in the form of official gazettes
Trademark journals are sent to WIPO and ARIPO in paper form.
Exchange of machine-readable information
The office received journals in electronic form from EPO, Japanese Patent Office and WIPO.
VIII. Matters concerning education and training including technical assistance to developing countries
Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)
Nothing to report.
Training courses for national and foreign participants
Nothing to report.
Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)
Nothing to report.
IX. Other relevant matters
Nothing to report.