The China Trademark Office (CTMO) and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB) jointly released a "Trademark Examination Guidelines" on December 31, 2005. This is the first time that detailed examination criteria for three-dimensional marks and color-combination marks are provided.
"Trademark Examination Guidelines" consists of seven parts, namely, examination of symbols which shall not be used as trademarks, examination of distinctiveness, examination of similar or identical trademarks, examination of three dimensional trademarks, examination of color trademarks, examination of collective and certification marks, examination of special signs. Among them, the first five provide interpretations for relevant legal provisions so that they are more instructive and operational; the latter two mainly benefit from relevant provisions in Measures on Registration and Administration of Collective and Certification Marks and Regulations on Special Signs.
|