Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2016 submitted by
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the Estonian Patent Office
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADEMARK INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
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In Estonia, it is possible to apply for the protection of trade marks under the Trade Marks Act that took effect on 1 May 2004 (the first Trade Marks Act entered into force in 1992). From 1 May 2004, the EU legal acts concerning trade marks are also valid in Estonia.
Since spring 2007, it has been possible to file the trade mark applications through the electronic filing portal. The portal enables to fill in and send trade mark registration applications to the Estonian Patent Office and to look at the applications filed earlier. Anyone can fill in the form, but only the applicant (or a patent attorney representing him/her) can sign it. Estonian ID-card and its reader are required. Upon request, the Office issues a notification about the acceptance of the application. The notification can be saved or printed. 66.7% of the Estonian applicants used the possibilities of e-filing in 2016. Other documents relating to the examination can be filed electronically with a digital signature.
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The most popular goods for which legal protection was applied in 2016 were pharmaceutical preparations (5.8%), foodstuffs (4.5%), electronic and computing apparatus (4.4%), and alcoholic beverages (3.9%).
The most popular services were advertising, business management and office functions (10%), followed by education, training, entertainment, cultural and sports activities (6.8%), services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodation (4.3%).
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Disputes concerning trade marks are resolved in the Industrial Property Board of Appeal, and in court.
In 2016, 9 appeals and 14 oppositions were granted in the Industrial Property Board of Appeal. Out of all the decisions that were made during examination, granted appeals and oppositions make up less than 1.2%.
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Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
http://www.epa.ee/sites/www.epa.ee/files/elfinder/dokumendid/aasta2016.pdf
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
http://www.epa.ee/en/additional-info/free-consultations
Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs
http://www.epa.ee/en/how-protect-your-trade-mark/how-protect-your-trade-mark-estonia
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
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Matters concerning processing of different types of non-traditional marks (e.g., three-dimensional, motion, hologram, color mark, etc.)
Other activities
http://www.epa.ee/sites/www.epa.ee/files/elfinder/dokumendid/aasta2016.pdf
III. SOURCES OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
Main types of publications in the field of trademark information, outline of the content and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)
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Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Other sources
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
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In 2016, the most important event on the field of IT in the Estonian Patent Office was the introduction of new software package Back Office for trade marks and designs. Said system was developed by the OHIM Cooperation Fund and customized to meet the neeeds of the Estonian Patent Office. Back Office replaces Common Software that was in use since 1996, and enables to carry out electronic examination of trade marks and industrial designs. The system is linked to many IT-interfaces and X-road solutions. The new system enables to send digitally signed documents, to check data in the business register and population register, to use the address register to enter Estonian addresses, to check a person’s data in the European Union and United Nations consolidated list. It is also linked to a financial service which is a subsystem of the register of taxable persons – a register that administers the financial claims of the country and keeps account how these are fulfilled.
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Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Other matters
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
In 2016, the Estonian Patent Office arranged or helped arrange 27 information events in order to raise the awareness of intellectual property. Regular seminars concerning the protection of inventions, trade marks and industrial designs took place in the classroom of the Patent Office and round table meetings was arranged with the patent attorneys.
In 2016 the cooperation with county development centres (Järva County Development Centre, Rapla County Development Centre, Harju County Entrepreneurship and Development Consultancy, Saaremaa Development Centre) and Tallinn City Enterprise Department became more extensive – joint events were organized where the importance of intellectual property protection was empathized. The products and experience in the field of IP protection of several enterprises (Ulaelu Ltd., Creative Woodworks Ltd., Leisi Lapikoda Ltd. and Digimist Ltd.) were also introduced.
The year 2016 was an exceptionally busy year in terms of international cooperation – two seminars were held for interested people. In October, in collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and Finnish Patent and Registration Office a seminar was arranged for the users of the Patent Prosecution Highway, and in November, in collaboration with WIPO, a seminar introducing the services of WIPO.
Moreover, in autumn 2016, WIPO started a pilot project called “Baltic States Pilot Project for the Development of a Regional Pool of IP Commercialization Experts” where 17 universities from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia take part. This is a capacity building program for regional professionals to develop necessary competences in the area of knowledge transfer and IP commercialization. As a result, a regional pool of experts and a cooperation network between Baltic universities will be established. The project will be carried out from 2016 to 2017.
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Publications related to different business procedures and trademark information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
http://www.epa.ee/en/publications/methodical-publications
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
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Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
http://www.epa.ee/et/seminarid in Estonian
Other activities
In 2015, the specialists of the Estonian Patent Office continued to provide free consultations on the compilation of trade mark, industrial design and utility model applications as well as patent applications.
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E-mail enquiries are mostly received via info@epa.ee and helpdesk@epa.ee. We also provide phone consultations and consultations at the office.
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
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Assistance to developing countries
Other activities