Transcript Godwin Warr

Godwin Warr
Director General Commerce
Comptroller of Industrial Property
The Commerce Department
Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment
Mission
Statement:
"To assist business and facilitate trade
whilst providing the necessary infrastructure
to encourage the securing, utilisation and respect
of intellectual property rights.”
History of IP in Malta: Trademarks
First
Registered
Trademark
Oldest
Foreign
Trademark (still in force)
First Maltese Patent
An Aerial Automobile
History of IP in Malta

Industrial Property Protection Ordinance
(1899) - used to incorporate legislation
on trademarks, patents and designs

Copyright Act (1911)
History of IP in Malta: Legislation
Copyright Act (Chap 415 - 2000)
 Trademarks Act (Chap 416 - 2000)
 Patents Act (Chap 417 - 2000)
 Supplementary Protection Certificates
Regulations (2003)
 Patents and Designs Act (Chap 2004)
 Amendments/Updates/Regulations(2001
-2009)

History of IP in Malta: Legislation
Act XX, 2006 – To regulate the
enforcement of Intellectual Property
Rights
 Criminal Code
 Commercial Code
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IP treaties and Conventions
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The Berne Convention for the Protection of
Literary and Artistic Works (1964)
The Paris Convention for the Protection of
Industrial Property (1967)
The Universal Copyright Convention (1968)
The WIPO Agreement (1977)
The WTO TRIPS Agreement (1995)
The WIPO Performances and Phonograms
Treaty (2010)
The WIPO Copyright Treaty (2010)
EU ACQUIS
Registration Systems

Community Trademark and Design
System (2004)
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European Patent Convention (2007)

Patent Co-Operation Treaty (2007)
International Obligations
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Alignment of Legislation with
 Conventions and Treaties
 EU Directives
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Implementation of Legislation
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Participation in Relevant Fora
National Challenges
Alignment and Implementation of
Legislation
Pre-EU Accession:
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Pick and Choose
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Implementation at Leisure
Post EU:
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No Choice
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Implementation Deadline
National Challenges
Participation or Input in Relevant Fora
Prior EU:
 WIPO Committee of Experts
Post EU:
 EU Working Parties
 COREPER
 Council meetings …
National Challenges
… Post EU:
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EPO Administrative Council
Patent Law Committee
OHIM Administrative Board
Budget Committee
Liaison Meetings
National Challenges – EU/International
Prior EU:
small fish in a BIG POND
National Challenges – EU/International
Post EU:
small fish in a BIG POND… Part of a Shoal
Statistics
Trademarks
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
3643
2840
2226
15731681
1306
1248
1268
922 900
297
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Statistics
Patents
1000
810
800
600
669
473
400
200
257
144
0
175
182
37
30
16 8
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Statistics
Industrial Designs
40
35
36
34
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
17
11
17
13
5
5
2
4
2
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
National Challenges - Local

Uncertainty
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Ignorance
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Accessibility
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Abuse
National Challenges – IP Awareness
Ongoing talks and presentations given to:
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University students
INT (ETC)
secondary and primary
school students
MCAST and
workshops for interested
public
National Challenges – IP Awareness
Other:
 extensive media campaigns
National Challenges – IP Awareness
 Think Out of
the Box
Rock Concert
IP day
National Challenges – IP Awareness
 Schools
 Workshops for interested public
 National Trade Fair
 IP Pre-Diagnostic Visits
 National WIPO Award for Innovation and
Creativity
National Challenges – Accessibility
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New Trademark Database
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New Patent Database
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IP Portal www.ipo.gov.mt
National Challenges – Abuse
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Co-operation with Police and Customs
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More Awarenes
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Enforcement Seminars
National Challenges – Assistance

WIPO
 MOU
 National IP Strategy
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EPO – National Action Plan
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OHIM – Co-Operation Agreement
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EU – IP European Awareness
Absolute grounds
of refusal
Relative grounds of
refusal
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devoid of any distinctive character;
customary in the current language or in the bona
fide and established practices of the trade;
contrary to public policy or to accepted principles
of morality;
Can deceive the public, for instance as to the
nature, quality or geographical origin of the
goods or service.
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exclusively serves to designate the kind, quality,
quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical
origin or the time of production of the goods or
of rendering of the service, or other
characteristics of the goods or service;
GO FRESH Trade mark No : 005830047
3: Soaps; perfumery, toilet water, aftershave,
cologne; essential oils; deodorants and
antiperspirants;
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SHOE ZONE Trade mark No : 002739696
25: Footwear.
35: The bringing together for the benefit of
others, of a variety of footwear ……
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EX ufficio examination on earlier rights-12
Member States (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland,
Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden)
Other member states do not (Denmark wary of
stilting of marks)
OHIM examination of relative grounds only
upon opposition, i.e. not ex-officio
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Many similar and identical trademarks registered
Cost of Business for trademark watch
Many opposition and court cases
Discrimination between those who can afford a
CTM and those who cannot
CTM secured when not needed
Confusion among consumers
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Unitary patent protection
Revision of the Community Trademark
Regulation and the Trademark DirectiveI (Max
Plank)
IPR valorisation instrument (leverage financing
especially for SME)
European Observatory on Counterfeiting and
Piracy / Enforcement Directive / Customs Reg
Non-agricultural geographical indications