THE USPTO (GIPA) TRADEMARK ADMINISTRATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 170203 SIPDIS SIPDIS COMMERCE PASS USPTO FOR BARBARA MCCAFFREY POSTS PLEASE PASS TO FCS OFFICERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD AORC ASEC KIPR OTRA SUBJECT: THE USPTO (GIPA) TRADEMARK ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM, 11-14 MARCH 2008 ¶1. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. The USPTO will hold The Trademark Administration Global IP Academy Program from 11-14 March 2008 at USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C. Posts are requested to inform host government officials of this program (see PARA 2) and are invited to nominate participants (see PARA 6). Nominations of participants are due no later than Monday, 21 January 2008. ¶2. Action Request: Posts are requested to send invitations and communications about the program to the heads of intellectual property offices or other relevant government offices in country for this training opportunity. Posts are requested to nominate candidates for the program by Monday, 21 January 2008. See PARA 5 for eligible participants, PARA 6 for nomination process and PARA 10 for contact information. Posts will be the sole liaison with nominees. Posts may emphasize: ¶A. GIPA programs are the USG's most thorough introduction to the U.S. IP System. The information provided through the program is fairly technical and is geared to government officials in national IP offices. ¶B. Participants must be officials of intellectual property offices of their respective governments, or of the agencies of their governments that are responsible for patent, trademark, copyright or IP enforcement matters. Additionally, for this program participants' particular responsibilities should include a basic knowledge of Trademark examination or administration, since that IP area will be the subject of this program. (Officials whose work involves patents, copyrights or IP enforcement may be suitable for GIPA programs that pertain to those IP areas. (See PARA 5.) ¶C. Officials from countries whose TRIPS obligations were due by January 1, 2000, are particularly encouraged to attend. ¶3. The Program: The Global Intellectual Property Academy provides intellectual property (IP) training to leadership of Industrial Property Offices, Patent and Trademark Examiners, and other IP Experts. The subject of the program will be Trademark Administration. The program will include training on trademark administration covering topics such as budgeting and finance issues, work processes, recruitment and training and administration of the Madrid Protocol. ¶4. VISA Issues: The Global Intellectual Property Academy is not a student exchange program and the USPTO will not issue DS 2019s. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶5. Eligible Participants: Nominations of participants are due no later than Monday, 21 January 2008. The program is offered in English without interpretation/translation. Only government employees who have direct legal and/or policy responsibilities in the area of trademark examination and administration are eligible. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶6. Nomination Process: Posts are requested to nominate candidates for the program by Monday, 21 January 2008. The nominations must include the name and title of the candidate along with an English resume or curriculum vitae (CV) or short job description of the nominee's responsibilities. Nominations without a resume, CV or an explanation of the nominee's responsibilities will NOT be considered. The nominations should be submitted to the person listed in Para 10, and the subject line of the nominations documents should include the following: TMADM2008MARCH (name of nominating country) Example: TMADM2008MARCH (MEXICO). This will ensure that the nomination is processed for the correct program. ¶7. Acceptance Letters: Posts will be notified of the status of nominations the week of 28 January 2008 via email. Notification will be sent electronically to post. Post will be the sole liaison with nominees. Detailed Post instructions will be included with the nominee status notification. Registration forms are due back to the USPTO by COB 15 February 2008. Specific day-by-day STATE 00170203 002 OF 002 itinerary will be provided upon request and after the selection process is completed. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶8. Financial Arrangements: Limited funding (authorized per diem, visa application fees and USA ground transportation to and from the airport/hotel) is authorized for nominees on a case-by-case basis, and only upon request. All other expenses are the responsibility of the sponsor or traveler. Nominees, post or sponsors are requested to provide round trip airfare to/from the USA. Fund cites will be distributed, via cable, authorizing expenses for funded nominees after the USPTO pre-approves the expenses to be charged. Please send the estimated charges for pre-approval by email to BARBARA.MCCAFFREY@USPTO.GOV OR FAX to 571-273-0166. Funding is not guaranteed. Posts are responsible for arranging and providing authorized expenses for funded nominees. ¶9. Travel and Accommodations: Hotel information will be provided with the Post instructions. All funded travel must be arranged in accordance to the Federal Travel Regulations. No exceptions. USPTO will secure hotel reservations for all nominees; however, self-funded participants must guarantee their hotel reservations. Post or host governments are responsible for travel and related expenses for officials from countries not eligible for funding. ¶10. USPTO Contact: Please submit all nominations to Barbara McCaffrey, Director Operations, Global Intellectual Property Academy at Barbara.Mccaffrey@uspto.gov or call 571 272 8694 or fax 571 273 0166. All questions/communications with USPTO must include in the subject line TMADM2008MARCH (name of nominating country) Example: TMADM2008MARCH(MEXICO). ¶11. Posts' assistance with this program is greatly appreciated. RICE