Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2014 submitted by

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Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADEMARK INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants with respect to the previous year

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

In  2014 the average registration procedure time period was 11,6 months from the date of submitting the trademark registration application. This time period includes formal and substantive examination of the applications, technical procedure concerning the preparation for publication, three month statutory time limit for opposition and registration time. In comparison with 2013 the regisration procedure time has not significantly changed. On the other hand, there is a growth of decisions related to pending applications.

Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.

Statistics

Since 2000 the Annual Reports and statistics have been available at the Office’s website: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/annual-report/annual-report.html

The Bulletin: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/ipo-bulletin.html

The Office website

The helpdesk helpdesk@upv.cz

List of news and events: http://www.upv.cz/en/ipo/current-news/actual.html

Electronic filing of trademark applications: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/on-line-filing.html

Element of proceedings: http://isdv.upv.cz/portal/pls/portal/portlets.rejst.formular?lan=en

Legislation related to all IP rights: http://www.upv.cz/en/legislation.html

FAQ: http://www.upv.cz/en/information-sources/faq.html

Search service – trademark database (IPO, WIPO, OHIM) (basic search/advanced search): http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/online-databases/trade-mark-databases.html

Use of electronic classification systems to check the classification symbols classified by an applicant and contained in the lists of goods and/or services: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/classsification-systems/classification--trade-marks.html

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs

Electronic filing of trademark applications: http://upv.cz/en/client-services/on-line-filing.html

Element of proceedings: http://isdv.upv.cz/portal/pls/portal/portlets.rejst.formular?lan=en

Search service: http://upv.cz/en/client-services/information-services/search-services.html

Fees and payments: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/fees.html

Information on business procedure related to trademarks: http://upv.cz/en/ip-rights/trade-marks.html

Information on Services: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/information-services/information-and-consultation-centers.html

Publications: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications.html

Trademark databases: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/online-databases/trade-mark-databases.html

Trademark classification system: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/classsification-systems/classification--trade-marks.html

Availability of the application dossier in electronic form

The content of the file (element of proceedings) is available at: http://isdv.upv.cz/portal/pls/portal/portlets.rejst.formular?lan=en

Matters concerning classifying
(i) 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

The 10th edition of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks has been in effect since January 01, 2013 for the purposes of trademark filing and registration.

Every trademark application shall contain a list of goods or services for which the mark is to be registered. Goods and services are listed in a sequence of classes of the Nice Classification and the appropriate number of this classification is mentioned.

The 7th edition of the Vienna Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks, published on December 13, 2012,  has been used.

In order to assist the applicants in the orientation in the above mentioned trademark classifications, classification systems are displayed on the web site of the IPO CZ (http://www.upv.cz/en.html) too.

(ii) Use of electronic classification systems and pre-defined terms of the classification applied

 Information on classification system

http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/classsification-systems/classification--trade-marks.html

Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied

To use pre-defined terms of the classification applied is only recommended.

Bibliographic data and processing

Trademarks are searchable by application and registration number, TM wording, name of applicant or holder or licensee, previous holder, representative, pledgee, Vienna classes, classes of goods and services and names of goods and services, application filing date, priority date, publication and registration date and date of termination of validity.  Representation of trademarks is also available in form of a gallery.

III. SOURCES OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Main types of publications in the field of trademark information, outline of the content and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)

Office notices are published weekly in the electronic Official Bulletin of the Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic. Notices are also published at the Office’s website.

Mass storage media used are hard discs, magnetic tapes for backup and paper.

Trademark bulletins of foreign offices in an electronic or paper version and ROMARIN DVDs from WIPO are received regularly. WIPO and Community Trademarks Bulletin are available in electronic version via Internet (new volumes) and in CD/DVD or paper version (previous volumes).

Description of information products and services offered by the Office and how to access and utilize them

The Office’s website: http://www.upv.cz/en.html

Information on Services: http://upv.cz/en/client-services/information-services/information-and-consultation-centers.html 

Publications: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications.html

Trademark databases: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/online-databases/trade-mark-databases.html

Trademark classification system: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/classsification-systems/classification--trade-marks.html

Since 2007, there are no official gazettes of the Official Bulletin of IPO CZ produced and published on CDs or in paper versions.

Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online, URL), etc.

Publishing, printing, copying techniques

The trademarks information is accessible in the Official Bulletin of the Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic. Since from 2007 this has been published weekly in an electronic form only and the paper version has been discontinued.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information

The Bulletin is published on a weekly basis (updated every Wednesday) instead of the monthly basis as it was before. The files are downloadable free of charge with no prior registration / subscription needed. The Acrobat Reader viewer is needed to open, view and print PDF files. The information as published shall be the authentic one for legal purposes. As from No. 1/2000, the Official Bulletin has been available at the web site of the IPO CZ as an electronic document in PDF format. You can find it here: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/ipo-bulletin.html

The Bulletin contains the following types of announcements:

• Survey of the INID codes for identification of bibliographic data           
• Survey of the chapters     
• Codes of the states           
• Refused or partially refused trademark applications before publication             
• Survey of the published trademark applications
• Published trademark applications 
• Refused or partially refused trademark applications after publication 
• Rejected oppositions        
• Survey of the trademark registrations without change in relation to published applications          
• Registrations of trademarks without change in relation to published applications            
• Survey of the trademark registrations with change in relation to published applications
• Registrations of trademarks with change in relation to published applications  
• Recording of license contracts concerning trademarks           
• Recording of license contracts concerning internationally registered trademarks
• Trademarks cancelled and declared invalid              
• Survey of the renewals of trademark registrations    
• Renewals of trademark registrations            
• Laps of trademarks due to expiration of the period of protection          
• Surrender of the right to the trademark        
• Changes in the wording/reproduction of the trademarks and in the list of goods and services     
• Changes in the ownership of the trademarks            
• Changes in the ownership of the trademarks for a part of goods and services 
• Amendments in the data concerning trademark holders        
• Excuse of failure to comply with a time limit
• Other relevant data and official rectifications             
• Appellations of origin/geographical indications
• Survey of the published applications of the coloured trademarks

Mass storage media and microforms used

Mass storage media used are hard discs, magnetic tapes for backup, and physical original in paper version.

Word processing and office automation

Trademarks are searchable in the public database. It provides a range of search options including application and registration number, TM wording, name of applicant or holder or licensee, previous holder, representative, pledge, Vienna classes, Classes of goods and services and names of goods and services, application filing date, priority date, publication and registration date and date of termination of validity. Representation of trademarks is also available in form of a gallery. The public database is updated daily and automatically from database of the IPO. The public database contains trademarks (IPO CZ, OHIM, WIPO-CZ, WIPO-EU) valid in the Czech Republic.

Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases

The Office’s Examiners have an access to:

• Internal SyPP database – contains all pending as well as decided applications
• Internal database of trademarks (applications and registered trademarks) including all trademarks with effect for Czech Republic
• OHIM eSearch Plus and TMView tools
• Other external public databases: http://upv.cz/en/client-services/online-databases/trade-mark-databases/foreign-database.html

Other sources

Access to online trademark bulletin and to other sources of trademark information, including download of bulk trademark data

The Official Bulletin URL: http://www.upv.cz/en/publications/ipo-bulletin.html

The public database URL: http://www.upv.cz/en/client-services/online-databases/trade-mark-databases.html

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources

Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file

Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)

Other matters

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION

Office's library (if deals with trademark information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries

Publications related to different business procedures and trademark information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.

Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.

Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.

Other activities

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION

International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to trademark information

Assistance to developing countries

Other activities

VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS