Annual Technical Report 2004 on Trademark Information Activities submitted by Bulgaria (SCIT/ATR/TM/2004/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 - 7 049;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 5 509.
The total of the applications indicate an increase of 947 marks compared to the number of such applications filed in 2003.
The data for the registrations are as follow:
- National marks - 3 222;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 4 428.
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
There is not for 2003.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of secondary sources of trademark information, i.e., trademark gazettes
Publishing, printing, copying techniques
The Official Bulletin of the Bulgarian Patent Office is published every month i.e 12 issues per year.
The bulletin contains information on the trademarks (bibliographical data and reproductions) entered in the State Register and also appellations of origin. In addition, the bulletin contains the announcements of all changes of the legal status, modifications and cancellations.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information
- Registered marks
- Renewals
- Transfers of rights
- Modifications of owner's names/addresses
- Licenses
- Cancellations
- Limitation of goods/services
Mark registrations and renewals are generated automatically by the Common Software (CS) and published.
The Certificates for registrations, all changes and renewals are produced automatically by the CS
Mass storage media and microforms used
HDD on Server
Word processing and office automation
Windows XP, MSWord 6.0, MSWord 2000, Page Maker 6.5 plus.
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)
A publishing system with a HP Scan Jet scanner, a Las. Printer HP Laser Jet, PC Intel
Pentium Based with Windows XP as OS and Page Maker 6.5 plus.
All data are extracted from the CS and the figurative elements also.
III. Matters concerning classifying, reclassifying and indexing of trademark information
In order to classify goods and services, BPO uses the eight edition of the Nice International Classification of goods and services. For the classification of figurative elements the fifth edition of Vienna Classification is used.
We use the contained in the CS list of goods and services, according to the Nice Classification and the NIVILO CD-ROM.
Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied : it is not requested by our Trademark Law.
Bibliographic data and processing for search purposes: the Office uses an Automation Search System (ASS). There is QBE for bibliographic data in CS and we also use ROMARIN.
IV. Trademark manual search file establishment and upkeep
A manual search is not used since 1996.
Trademark bulletins of foreign offices, ROMARIN DVD from WIPO and Community-mark bulletin on CDs from OHIM are received, but only the ROMARIN data-base is considered as a part of our serach for examination. The other data-bases are used for purposes of public services.
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 - new server machine hp Compaq d330m (delivered from WIPO).
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: 4 useable from WSs plus 20xPCs 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. 3.2.2, 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-line and 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 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 DVD and the “ROMARIN” DVD. The Bulletin of OHIM - on CD-ROM and the Official bulletins 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
- EPO SE 7: Workshop on Information technology: Concepts and Infrastructures for Patent Offices incl. PATLIB, Portugal, 17-21.05.2004
- BPO-International organization for law development /IDLO/ Seminar: “Protection and enforcement of trademarks’ rights – international and national aspect”, Sofia, 22-24.01.2004
- BPO Round table: Enhance the creativity, 26.04.2004
- Regional Balkan seminar on assessment and valuation of IP rights and research results, Varna, 19-21 May 2004
- BPO participated in National Youth Exhibition “Expo Intelect 04” organized by “Bulgarian intellect movement” in Sofia, Technical University, 30.11.-05.12.2004
- WIPO-EC /TAIEX/ - BPO Seminar: Practical Intellectual Property Issues in Business Strategy for SMEs, Sofia, 30.11.-01.12.2004
- Regional meeting “Innovations and competitiveness”, Varna, May, 2004
- WIPO Regional Seminar on Geographical Indications Utilization - Georgia, Tbilissi, 21-23 June 2004
- International Symposium – Industrial Property Rights and Economic Development, 2-3 July 2004, Ankara
- Joint WIPO-WTO Regional Workshop on Certain Topical Issues Concerning IP, Kishinev, Republic of Moldova, 19-21.10.2004