Annual Technical Report 2005 on Trademark Information Activities submitted by Malawi (SCIT/ATR/TM/2005/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
The number of applications filed in 2005 were 537 and registrations were 471.
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
Applications decreased by 6.05% and registrations also decreased by 6% as compared to the previous year.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of secondary sources of trademark information, i.e., trademark gazettes
Publishing, printing, copying techniques
Trademarks advertisement is done by Government Print through the Malawi Trademark journal.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information
The journal is published once a month.
Mass storage media and microforms used
Trademark information is stored in paper format and in electronic format.
Word processing and office automation
Documents are produced on the computers.
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information are printing and recording.
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 the registration of marks under the Nice Agreement 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
We use Vienna classification to check the classification symbols furnished by an applicant and which are contained in the lists of goods and / or services.
Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied
No obligation.
Bibliographic data and processing for search purposes
File and classification numbers are processed for search purposes.
IV. Trademark manual search file establishment and upkeep
File Building
Trademark documents in paper format are shelved according to their assigned file numbers.
Updating
Index card system for word marks is regularly updated for searches.
Storage, including mass storage media
Storage is in both paper and electronic format.
Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file
Search is done in the library.
V. Activities in the field of computerized trademark search systems
In-house systems (online/offline)
The office is using IPAS.
Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics, administrative support, etc.)
The registration process, the examination for legality and the preparation of statistics is done by examining officers.
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
Applications are lodged by clients through Agents. Personal aided search is allowed for interested applicants. All the necessary search is done within the office.
Collection management, preservation
Local trade mark journals are arranged according to publication date and foreign trademark gazettes, according to publication number and kept in the library.
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)
Computerized services avalaible to the public includes our trademark database, CDs and DVDs from WIPO and Japanese Patent Office.
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 format. Similary ARIPO journals are received on exchange basis, whereas trademark world is received on subscription. Other publications and periodicals received on donations include: WIPO magazine, Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties, South African Intellectual Property Newsletter, Journal of the Japenese Group of AIPPI, Famous Trademarks in Japan and WHO drug Information.
Exchange of machine-readable information
The office receives CDs and DVDs from WIPO and Japan.
VIII. Matters concerning education and training including technical assistance to developing countries
Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)
During the period under review, the office held one workshop.
Training courses for national and foreign participants
No training.
Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)
No assistance to developing countries.
IX. Other relevant matters
(a) Examining Officers and IT Officers attended IPAS training.
(b) One Officer attended IP Automation training.