SINGAPORE AMENDS TRADEMARK LAW

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000667 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PASS TO USPTO FOR ACOTTON USTR FOR AUSTR VESPINEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR ETRD ECON EINV SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE AMENDS TRADEMARK LAW REF: 06 SINGAPORE 1297 ¶1. Singapore recently passed the Trademarks (Amendment) Act 2007 in order to fully comply with its obligations under the 2006 Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (STLT). (The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) introduced the Treaty at its March 2006 conference in Singapore.) The amended act is expected to take effect this month. ¶2. Key amendments to the Trademarks Act include: -- Provision for multiple class registration; Trademark registration was previously based on single classes, e.g., computer hardware. The amendment allows registration of multiple classes, e.g., computer hardware and computer services, in a single application. Similarly, applicants now only need to renew the multiple-class registration once for it to be effective across all the registered classes. -- Division of an application for registration; Applicants may now divide multiple-class trademark applications. This expedites registration in cases where one or more, but not all, classes are determined to be objectionable. -- Relief measures for procedural oversight; The amended Act provides relief measures for procedural mistakes in trademark applications, notably in relation to missed time limits. -- Registration of licenses for pending trademark applications; Licenses related to pending trademarks can now be registered. Previously, only registered trademarks licenses could be recorded. ¶3. Once in effect, a copy of the amended Act may be found at: http://statutes.agc.gov.sg FERGIN