To help businesses better understand the “Geographical Marks” protected under Taiwan's Trademark Act and subsequently enhance the quality of patent examinations, TIPO has revised the Examination Guidelines on Certification Marks, Collective Membership Marks, and Collective Trademarks, which took effect on October 1, 2022. Main highlights are as follows:
I. Its name was revised to “Examination Guidelines on Certification Marks, Collective Membership Marks, and Collective Trademarks” to reflect the sequence of the provisions.
II. Added a separate chapter on “Geographical Marks” to promote and explain the registration process in Taiwan for the application of a geographical certification mark and geographical collective trademark. III.
Regarding the applicant’s declaration that he/she does not own a business that is involved in the manufacturing and marketing of goods or provision of services of the kind being certified:
i. Clear stipulations forbidding the applicant from registering a trademark in the same scope of the product or services being certified. Otherwise, the applicant is considered in violation of impartiality and the terms of the declaration.
ii.The applicant may, given that he/she fulfills the other requirements, apply to register another trademark outside of the scope of the product or services being certified. Read more