Annual Technical Report 2003 on Trademark Information Activities submitted by Bulgaria (SCIT/ATR/TM/2003/BG)
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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 relation with the previous year, there were no changes in the filing requirements and examination procedures for registration of marks.
The data on the filing applications for the registration of trademarks are as follow:
- Under the National Law - 6 148;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 5 463.
The total of the applications indicate an increase of 2 084 marks compared to the number of such applications filed in 2002.
The data for the registrations are as follow:
- National marks - 2 084;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 3 772.
– Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of secondary sources of trademark information, i.e., trademark gazettes
...
– Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the
available search file - No.
V. Activities in the field of computerized trademark search systems
- In-house systems (online/offline):
1. Trademark Automated Search System - TASS.
2. The ROMARIN on CD-ROM.
3. The Administrative Automated System - COMMON SOFTWARE.
4. On-line search system for Trademarks - for public access
– External databases:
1. USA databases on CD-ROM - CASSIS;
2. TRACES CD-ROM;
3. OHIM database on CD-ROM;
4. 6-ter CD-ROM;
5. NIVILO CD-ROM.
For the administrative and statistic purposes, the COMMON SOFTWARE is used.
– Equipment used:
1. Hardware:
- Server: HP rp 5430
-Workstation: 1xXHP 9000/7050/50 plus 2xHP 9000/700/50 (for Search system only)
-Computers: about 50
-X-Terminals: 8 useable from WSs plus 6xPCs with XonNET emulators (for Search system only)
2. Software:
- Server:
- UNIX 11.XX as OS
-Informix V 7.3 as DB
- Computers:
- Intel Pentium Based PC;
- Windows XP and '98 as Operating System
- COMMON SOFTWARE v. 3.2, a large client application, developed in Hyperscript tools 4.1.5, used to gain access to database.
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)
Searches in the field of registered and filed for registration trademarks are executed on request. We are doing searches in other countries on CD-ROM collections -“ROMARIN”, “TRACES”, “OHIM”, “CASSIS”.
The security is based on the different kind of access.
Excerpt from the State Register and all information published after the registration of the marks is accessible for the public.
The trademark database is accessible on the World Wide Web of our patent office by our new On-line search system for Trademarks - "BPO ON-LINE".
VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of trademark documentation and information
The Bulgarian Patent Office receives by WIPO “The WIPO Gazette of international Marks” -on paper and CD-ROM and the “ROMARIN” CD-ROM. The Bulletin of OHMI - on CD-ROM and on paper the Official bulletin of other offices.
We are sending monthly our Official Bulletin on paper to 40 other offices.
We are sending every three months our trademark database, according to the TRACES project, for creating the Common CD-ROM for some countries - Romania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria
VIII. Matters concerning education and training including technical assistance to developing countries
1. One-day seminar in cooperation with OHIM on “How to protect a trade mark or design in the European Union”, June 2003, Sofia
2. Round table was organized jointly with the International Trademark Association in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
3. Scientific practical Conference on “The role of geographic indications in the Bulgarian Economy” generated a keen interest. It took place on November 2003, and was organized by BPO in cooperation with the IP Centre at the University of National and World Economy and the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture.
4. Round table at the Industrial Property Centre of the Patent Office in the town Varna on “Problems of the law enforcing bodies in connection with the enforcement of IP rights”
5. International Conference on “Bulgaria and the industrial property system – development and prospects”, organized jointly with the Union of Inventors in Bulgaria
6. BPO participated in the 59th International Technical Fair Plovdiv’2003 together with the European Patent Office
7. EPO Seminar: Patent Office website conception, design and maintenance (intermediate level), Vienna, 07.04-11.04.2003
8. EPO Seminar: A guide through IP documentation, Geneva, Vienna, 4-6.06.03 and 10-18.06.2003.
9. EPO Seminar: The EPO:an inside view for new and future member states, 24.11-27.11.2003.
10. EUROFORUM – Trade Marks, THE European Forum on the Community Trade Mark System for the Candidate Countries.
11. Liaison meetings on "Procedure and practice" and "Information and Informatization" in OHIM, Alicante
12. Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications on the Report of the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process, Geneva
IX. Other relevant matters