Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2015 submitted by Croatia
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I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADEMARK INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
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The main policies and plans of the Croatian State Intellectual Property Office given in the Annual Work Plan for 2015 were focused on: the cooperation activities with the Office for Harmonization on the Internal Mark of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as: OHIM; from March 2016 OHIM was renamed as European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) ) and the EU national offices with regard the Convergence Programs and Common Tools aiming to facilitate the harmonisation of the trademark practices and to improve the common tools for the benefit of the end users; the revision of the Trademark Examination Guidelines with the Office practice in proceedings related to the registration and maintenance of trademarks rights; the update of the Office's web site content with the explanations of the Convergence Programs and Common Tools implemented by the Office through the European Trade Mark and Design Network (ETMDN); the raising awareness of the importance of the trademark protection through the on-line courses, lectures, seminars and courses to the academic community and the SME's.
Migration of data and functionality from the existing system to a new, open-source platform with the significant improvements made related to the work in the Internet environment which will improve a number of services of the Office.
New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
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The Office joined the platform of the EU national offices and OHIM called the Maintenance of Cooperation Fund Tools aiming to improve the quality of a significant number of the implemented common databases namely: TMview – a trademark search tool, Seniority – the data on the Community trademarks claiming seniority of the previously registered national trademark, CESTO – a common support tool for examiners, Quality Standards – a quarterly statistics on the average duration of the proceedings phases related to the registration and maintenance of trademark rights, Forecasting – generating trade mark and design filing forecasts for the Office. Through the joined platform the changes and improvements proposed are examined and voted for the implementation. The mentioned common tools represent the important support to the end-users and the Office in a trademark registration process and in the follow up of the results of the Office activities related to the trademark protection.
Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
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The number of international applications (designations HR) and the number of international registrations (designations HR) continues to fall as a consequence of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union. In comparison to the previous year the number of international applications decreased 11.0 % while the number of international registration shows the noticeable decrease of 42.2 %.
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
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http://www.dziv.hr/en/news (EN)
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
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http://www.dziv.hr/hr/intelektualno-vlasnistvo/zigovi/najcesca-pitanja/
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
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The Nice Classification Systems of Goods and Services 10th edition, is used for the registration of marks. Harmonised Database (HDB) as a common tool of the Office for Harmonization at the Internal Market of the European Union and the participating national offices containing pre-defined terms of the classification is at the disposal that helps applicants with the classification of goods and services. The version 10-2015 of the Nice Classification was published in Croatian language at the beginning of 2015. For figurative marks Vienna classification (7th edition) is applied. The mark is classified in Vienna classification by the Office as a part of formality examination of the application.
- Use of electronic classification systems and pre-defined terms of the classification applied
The Nice Classification Systems of Goods and Services, the version 10-2015, is used for the registration of marks. Harmonised Database (HDB) as a common tool of the Office for Harmonization at the Internal Market of the European Union and the participating national offices containing pre-defined terms of the classification is at the disposal that helps applicants with the classification of goods and services. The Office is supplying data to HDB among other participating Offices. The continuous verification of terms and changes in the HDB was made during the year. The database of pre-defined terms is available in Croatian language. The Office developed proprietary database assisting applicants to generate list of goods and services from the HDB in the proper format: http://www.dziv.hr/hr/intelektualno-vlasnistvo/zigovi/medjunarodna-klasifikacija-proizvoda-i-usluga/
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The classification specialist of the Office checks if the correct classification and wording is used in line with the common set of principles of the HDB.
Matters concerning processing of different types of non-traditional marks (e.g., three-dimensional, motion, hologram, color mark, etc.)
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For the sound marks a representation of musical notation is required. Applications for sound marks submitted via e-filing may be accompanied by a corresponding sound file.
Other activities
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III. SOURCES OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
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http://www.dziv.hr/en/the-croatian-intellectual-property-gazette/
Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online, URL), etc.
Since 2006 Official Gazette of the SIPO is published monthly, and starting with the issue No. 05/2009 of May 2009 the Office discontinued publishing the Gazette in printed version and publishes it since only as an electronic publication. From October 2013 the frequency of Gazette’s publication has increased to every two weeks publication. The Gazette is fully available free of charge in the PDF-format at the official Office's web site http://www.dziv.hr/en/the-croatian-intellectual-property-gazette/, including the archive of the earlier editions (issued from 1994 onwards). The gazette is also published on CD-ROM as an individual publication on the request of a user (against the payment).The Official Gazette contains the published data on trademarks: Publication of Trademark Applications, Trademark application Indexes by Numbers, Classification Symbols and Applicants, Publication of Record of Changes to the Register of Trademark Applications, Publication of Information on International Registration so f Marks for which Protection has been requested in the Republic of Croatia, Publication of Trademarks, Trademark Indexes by Numbers, Classification Symbols and Owners, Publication of Changes Entered into the Trademark Register, Publication of Trademark Extensions and Publication of Trademarks Expirations.
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases
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Access to the following databases from the relevant web pages are also available and also used for information services: ROMARIN, TMclass, TMview, International Non-proprietary Names (INNs) for Pharmaceutical Substances, Geographical Indications protected in the EU, Geographical Indications protected in Croatia.
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
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The detailed information of the Office's participation in the ETMDN is available at http://www.dziv.hr/hr/europska-mreza-zigova-i-dizajna/
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Detailed legal status information are available in the Trademarks Register, accessible only to the Office staff, while the basic information on the legal status are available for public on the Office's web site : http://www.dziv.hr/en/e-services/on-line-database-search/trademarks/
Other sources
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IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
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Office's software system is in the process of migration to a new (open-source platform).
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
- 20Mbit/s leased line used for Internet connection,
- CISCO Network Equipment (LAN based on Fast Ethernet - 1000/100/10 Mbit/s).
SERVERS:
All servers are virtualized under VMware (except mail server)
- VMware vSphere 5.5 Essentials Plus Kit for 3 hosts, 192 GB RAM
- Physical Servers:
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- Dell PowerVault TL2000
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
The bibliographic data are stored in trademark database and trademark images are stored in a network file directory. They are interlinked by different software tools. Data coverage is a complete set of trademark data since year 2000 and partial data since 1991 (when the office was established).
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
The Office does not carry out examination of the relative grounds as a part of the granting procedure so no search file is built in the processing of application. Published trademark data (applications/grants) can be searched at the Office's web site through the web-server application (MS Windows 2003 server and mySQL database).
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
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Published trademark data (applications/grants) can be searched at the SIPO’s Internet site
http://www.dziv.hr/en/e-services/on-line-database-search/trademarks/ through the SIPO's web-server application (MS Windows 2003 server and mySQL database).
Other matters
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V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
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http://www.dziv.hr/hr/informacije-usluge/knjiznica & http://www.dziv.hr/en/sipo-information-services/library/
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Permanent cooperation in education of undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers has been established with the Faculty of Law of the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Tourism of the University of Pula, Faculty of Architecture (Design study) of the University of Zagreb and the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the University of Zagreb.
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
Seminars, Workshops and Lectures on Intellectual Property for Academic Community in 2015
- Seminar
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- for students of the Faculty of Law in Rijeka – Zagreb, 16 January 2015
- Lecture
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- at the postgraduate specialist study “Human Resources and the Society of
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- Knowledge” and the subject of the “Economics of Science” at the Faculty
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- of Economics and Tourism of the University of Pula - Pula, 13 February
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- 2015
- Participation in the FaksUp 2015 conference at the College for Information Technologies with a lecture on intellectual property intended for education of secondary schoolers and students – Zagreb, 19 February 2016
- Seminar for students and staff of the VERN University of Applied Sciences - Zagreb, 10 April 2015
- Lecture “Trademark and Industrial Design Registration Procedures”, Faculty of Architecture, School of Design – Zagreb, 22 May 2015
- Seminar for students of the Faculty of Law of the University of Rijeka – Zagreb, 26 November 2015
- Seminar for researchers under the scholarship of the NEWFELPRO project (Workshop on intellectual property (IP) for NEWFELPRO researchers) - Zagreb, 11 December 2015
- Seminar for students of the Faculty of Economics and Tourism in Pula- Zagreb, 15 December 2015
Lectures for Entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises in 2015
- Lectures on fundamentals of intellectual property and its use in business intended for representatives of small and medium enterprises within the educational programme of the Development Agency Zagreb - Zagreb, 8 May 2015; 13 November 2015
- Lectures on the application of intellectual property in business and assessing the potential of intellectual property (IPP) in cooperation with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, intended for its employees and representatives of SMEs in the County Chamber Rijeka - Rijeka, 9 June 2015
- Seminar “Protection and Application of Intellectual Property in Business of Small and Medium Enterprises” – Šibenik, 30 September – 1 October 2015
- Seminar "Boosting the development of SMEs and Innovations in Production Processes“ within the European Small and Medium Enterprises Week in IDA/ Istrian Development Agency Pula- Pula,17 November 2015
- Seminar on intellectual property for representatives of small and medium enterprises in the County Chamber Čakovec - Čakovec, 1 December 2015
- Seminar on intellectual property for representatives of small and medium enterprises in the County Chamber Karlovac - Karlovac, 4 December 2015
Seminars and workshops for the representatives of state institutions and judicial bodies in 2015
- Workshop for judges "Intellectual property Rights – Basic Module", in cooperation with the Judicial Academy - Zagreb, 1 October 2015
Public Seminars and Distance Learning Courses organized in 2015:
- Lectures for citizens on the occasion of the celebration of the World Intellectual Property Day “Intellectual Property Days” - Zagreb, 22 – 24 April 2015
- General Course on Intellectual Property (DL-101HR) – 9 March – 22 April 2015; 12 October – 25 November 2015
Public Events in which the Office Participated in 2015
- Public events within the action Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy – Velika Gorica, 14 June.2015; Zadar, 21 June 2015
- Celebration of the Europe Day - Zagreb, 9 May 2015
- European Researchers’ Night - Zagreb, 25 September 2015
- 13th International Innovation Exhibition ARCA 2015 - Zagreb, 15 -18 October 2015
- 19th International Fair SASO - Split, 21 – 24 October 2015
- Exhibition INOVA – Budi uzor 2015 - Karlovac, 5 - 7 November 2015
- Croatian Book Month 2015 - Zagreb, 11 November 2015
Professional and Promotional Events in which the Office Participated
- Horizon 2020 – information day of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie action: Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) - Zagreb, 6 March 2015
- Celebration of the European Small and Medium Enterprises Week – Pula, 17 November 2015
- International Copyright Creativity Conference (MAKK) and
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- 19th Copyright Consultation - Zagreb, 26 – 27 November 2015
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- 6th Intellectual Property Rights Conference “Intelektiv” - Zagreb, 9 December 2015
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Other activities
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VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
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In 2015, the impact of the cooperation on convergence programmes was discussed through the exchange of the experience of the OHIM, the EU national offices in the implementation of harmonized principles related to the absolute and relative grounds examinations. During the year the cooperation continued with regard to the improvements of the HDB (Harmonised Database) of the acceptable terms of goods and services. The regular communication with the OHIM and other EU national offices was established through the joined the platform of the EU national offices and OHIM called the Maintenance of Cooperation Fund Tools thus improving the implemented common tools: TMview – a trademark search tool, Seniority – the data on the Community trademarks claiming seniority of the previously registered national trademark, CESTO – a common support tool for examiners, Quality Standards – a quarterly statistics on the average duration of the proceedings phases related to the registration and maintenance of trademark rights, Forecasting – generating trade mark and design filing forecasts for the Office.
Assistance to developing countries
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Date of visit | State | Office | Theme |
17-18 September | The Republic of Serbia | State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia | Providing information on the Office's practice in the application of the opposition as a legal institute in a trademark registration |
3 November | The Republic of Serbia | State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia | Chapter 7 of accession negotiations on EU membership - sharing experience |
Other activities
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VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
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