Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2015 submitted by IP Australia

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADEMARK INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of trademark information activities and expected time frames for their realization

 

IP Government Open Data - On 7 October 2014 IP Australia launched the Intellectual Property Government Open Data (IPGOD) on www.data.gov.au. This data provided a comprehensive, flexible and reliable dataset back to the early 1900s and includes all inventions, brands, designs and plant breeder's rights filed in Australia up to 31 December 2013, providing more than 350 million data points, matching IP rights to firm ABNs. A further release of IPGOD occurred in 2015.

 New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description:  aims, partners, tasks

 

No comment is made here

 

 

Main areas of trademark information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year 

 

Significant work is underway to modernise and improve IP Australia’s business systems and processing environment. This work will progressively deliver a more agile business environment that captures efficiencies and improves customer service delivery. The first of the organisation’s four business lines (Designs) has recently gone live with a pilot of the new system which is known as RIO (Rights-In-One).

 

What is Rights-In-One?

 

RIO is predominantly an internal administrative system for electronically receiving, processing and monitoring IP right cases and their related customer interactions. The system includes document management, correspondence generation and decision support functionality which span a complex array of quasi-legal business processes unique to the IP system.

 

Since online transactions now account for more than 98 per cent of IP Australia’s approximately 850,000 customer service interactions each year, the RIO Program holds a key to achieving better customer service delivery and improved internal efficiencies.

 

RIO will eventually enable the decommissioning of more than twenty legacy systems including a thirty year old mainframe with commensurate maintenance and operational savings. The new system is expected to yield benefits over the next decade.

 

Key points for 2015

 

  • Planning for the second business line (Trade marks) for RIO commenced.

 

  • Work on the delivery of a new search system for trade marks which is being designed with specific focus on improved usability and greater quality for customers and staff commenced.

 

  • The new system will significantly improve access to IP right information and empower users (especially small business) to obtain valuable insights.

 

  • RIO Search for trade marks will be released internally for examiners by the end of 2016 and externally to the public by the middle of 2017.

 

  • The RIO Program will also provide a vehicle for implementing more than twenty legislative reforms to streamline and align IP processes, enable more electronic processing and support small business.

Statistics:  changes in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes 

 

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to the previous year

(Please Note: AU provides for multi-class filings. Figures below are in classes)

 

Total TM Classes Filed

2014: 115,538

2015: 133,350

Percentage difference: TM applications increased by 15.4%

Madrid Applications Filed

2014: 23,552

2015: 30,752

Percentage difference: Madrid applications increased by 30.6%

 

Total Registrations

2014: 79,336

2015: 88,503

Percentage difference: Registrations in classes increased by 11.6%

 

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

(No comment is made here – the title above will not appear in the report)

 

Other matters and useful links (URLs):  annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.

 

Statistics

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/economics-ip

 

Annual Report

 

http://www.industry.gov.au/AboutUs/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/Pages/Annual-Report-2014-2015.aspx

Refer part C –Chapters 12-17 for information on IP Australia)

 

Latest news

 

Latest news is featured on the home page of IP Australia's website:

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/

 

 

Trade marks Search System

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/atmoss/falcon.application_start


II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) – URLs

 

Planning, administration, automation, security

 

IP Australia’s Contact Centre provides a central contact for customers to obtain information about a wide range of Intellectual Property issues.  Customers contact the Call Centre via telephone, and online enquiry form with around 95% of matters of a general nature solved at the first point of contact.

 

Increasingly, IP Australia is using its web site as a means of providing an alternative means of public access to these services, such as electronic filing (currently approximately 99.6% of trade mark applications are filed online), registrations, renewals and trade mark searching via ATMOSS. 

 

IP Australia held a number of seminars for small and start-up businesses providing information on TM value and the application process.

 

URLs of web pages of the Office's website for electronic filing of trademark applications

 

Filing:

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/eservices/

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks

 

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide information on business procedures such as: filing, publication, examination and registration procedures related to trademarks; opposition and appeal procedures related to trademarks; etc.

 

Forms & Publications:

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/tools-resources/trade-marks-forms

and

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/epublish/epublish/search_page.jsp

 

Exam & Registration procedures:

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks/understanding-trade-marks/trade-marks-examination-process

 

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide a description of information products and services offered by the Office (e.g., trademark search service(s) and trademark databases), as well as information on how to access and utilize them

 

The application process for trade marks:

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks

 

Applying for International trade marks:

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks/managing-your-trade-mark/international-trade-marks/getting-an-international-trade-mark

 

Trade mark searching
https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade-marks/applying-for-a-trade-mark/searching-trade-marks

 

 

Availability of the application dossier in electronic form

 

As at 2015 IP Australia does not provide the application dossier in an electronic form.

 

Matters concerning classifying

 

Classification and reclassification activities;  classification systems used, e.g., International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification), International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification), other classification

 

Australiaclassifies goods and services according to the Nice Classification. Australia updated the 10th Edition of Nice on 1 January 2015, with all applications filed on or after that date being classified according to the 10th Edition.

Australiadoes not use the Vienna Classification scheme to classify the figurative elements of marks. Rather, figurative elements are classified (and searched) according to a glossary of device terms developed by the Office. For example, the WIPO device is indexed as follows:

 

1 ANNULUS 2 CONCENTRIC

3 HAND 4 PEN

5 BOOK,OPEN 6 GRAIN,EAR

7 VIOLIN 8 WHEEL,GEAR

9 MUSICAL-INSTRUMENT

10 CIRCLE+
11 ROUND 12 ROUND+

Each device term may then be used as a search criteria, either singularly or in combination, in order to locate marks with similar device characteristics.

Use of electronic classification systems and pre-defined terms of the classification applied

 

Applicants are not obliged to use pre-defined classification terms. Checking of goods or services statements is performed manually where the statement is furnished by the applicant.

An on-line application form (e-form) allows selection of goods/services relating to a Trade mark via a set of pre-defined classification terms (Pick-list). About 46% of electronic filers use the Pick-list functionality. Goods and services statements provided via the Pick-list functionality require no manual checking.

 

The terms in the Pick-list are also those which form the basis of the Goods and Services help within ATMOSS, the trade marks Office searchable database.

Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied

There is no obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms. As mentioned above, the trade mark e-form gives applicants the choice to use a pre-defined set of terms (Pick-list) at reduced cost or alternatively to specify their own goods/services.

 

Matters concerning processing of different types of non-traditional marks (e.g., three-dimensional, motion, hologram, colour mark, etc.)

 

N/A

 

Other Activities

No comment is made here


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)

 

The Australian Official Journal of trade marks (the trade marks Journal) is published weekly. There are 50 issues per year. The Journal is available on-line, free of charge, via the IP Australia web site and contains both bibliographic text and images.

 

Examination Reports are generated electronically and are issued to customers online via IP Australia’s online services

ATMOSS, the Australian Trade Mark Online Search System, contains bibliographic details about trade marks and is available to the public, free of charge, via our website.

 

Official Gazettes:  main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online (URL), etc.

 

The Official Journal contains the following announcements:
- Applications Filed

- Applications Accepted for Registration

- Amendments, Changes and Corrections

- Applications Lapsed, Withdrawn and Refused

- trade marks Registered

- Assignments, Transmittals and Transfers

- Cancellation of Entries in Register

- Extensions of Time

- Renewal of Registration of trade marks

- Opposition Proceedings

 

The IP Australia web site also provides access to a variety of forms and publications, IP Legislation, Official Notices, Hearings Decisions, Practice & Procedure Manuals, etc

 

The Australian Official Journal of trade marks can be accessed at the following URL:

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/epublish/epublish/search_page.jsp

 

The catalogue of bibliographic data on trade marks can be purchased from IP Australia.

Information on IP Australia’s Bulk Data Products can be found at:

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/doing-business-us/bulk-data-products

 

 

Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases

 

Mass storage media and microforms used

 

The Office's bibliographic data is maintained on an ADABAS Natural (zOS) mainframe. Trade mark images (devices) are stored in a Unix file directory. The Office also utilises an e-case (Electronic Document Management System) repository which contains all documentation relating to the prosecution of applications.

 

Word processing and office automation

 

Current standard desktop software includes Microsoft Windows 7 with Microsoft Office 2010. The Office uses a document generation tool incorporating templates to generate much of its outgoing correspondence including notices and examination reports.

 

 

The Office's publication system is partially mainframe based and produces:
- camera ready copy of the Australian Official Journal of Trade marks;
- trade mark certificates and original register entries; and
- notices for trade mark applicants or their agents.

 

Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording,

photocomposing, etc.)

Bibliographic data (ADABAS as XEROX XICS output) and images from Unix are merged for Journal production.

 

Bibliographic data and processing

Bibliographic data is stored against each trade mark application in the ADABAS Natural business administration system. Transaction history records are created as this data is updated during the life-cycle of the trade mark. The business administration system allows access to this data via a variety of search utilities. Data from the ADABAS Natural system is carried in real time to the Australian Trade Marks On-line Search System (ATMOSS) – a mid-range ORACLE web-server application. ATMOSS allows both internal and public access to bibliographic data, and trade mark images, via the IP Australia web site, and most customers now use this application in preference to the mainframe.

 

 

Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)

 

Data from the ADABAS Natural system is carried in real time to the Australian Trade Marks On-line Search System (ATMOSS) – a mid-range ORACLE web-server application.

 

ATMOSS allows both internal and public access to bibliographic data, and trade mark images, via the IP Australia web site, and most customers now use this application in preference to the mainframe.

 

ATMOSS is free of charge and is not subscription based.

 

Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)

 

See "In House Systems" and above.

 

 

Other sources

No comment is made here

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

 

Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office:  general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements

 

TRACS –TRACS is an electronic document management and basic workflow system which manages the trade marks related documents and workflow for examiners, administrative staff and hearing officers.

 

ATMOSS - The ATMOSS database allows users to search for similar trade marks and provides the most important details of trade marks. The search results include words, images, owner details and goods and services claimed.  It is available to the public and free to use.

 

DocGen - DocGen is a web-based application used by examiners to create examination reports and associated documents. DocGen was introduced in 2015.

 

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

 

In-house systems (online/offline)

Searching for conflicting trade marks can be conducted via the mainframe application or ATMOSS. All searching by examiners is conducted through ATMOSS with search extracts then forming part of the search file in TRACS.

 

External databases

The Office has developed a simple utility to search a number of external databases - principally dictionaries, gazetteers, reference titles, etc. - so as to streamline distinctiveness searching. Examiners routinely search the Internet for the same purpose.

 

Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used

The Canberra Office has an ethernet-based LAN providing high speed bandwidth for each user desktop connection. A DMZ-based, DSD approved firewall using IAN ports (Internet IEFT Assigned Numbers) provides the secure means to allow access from internal systems/users to external entities such as the Internet or public/private organisations.

 

IP Australia's Home Based Workers and Out-posted Workers supplied with IPA hardware connect using Windows machines with Citrix Receiver – they have access to a Virtual Desktop that is supplied using Citrix XenDesktop. They also have the option to use published applications provided by Citrix XenApp. All of the Citrix infrastructure runs on VMWare vSphere sitting on Dell x86 Hardware. Users connecting using their own hardware may use a variety of devices, however, they still have access to a Virtual Desktop that is supplied using Citrix XenDesktop and have the option to use published applications provided by Citrix XenApp.

The current SOE includes Windows 7 with Office 2010 Professional Plus, IE 11 and Microsoft Outlook

 

Internal databases:  coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources

 

The primary business system is the ADABAS Natural mainframe application. TRACS - the Trade Mark Records, Applications and Correspondence System, TMARK, running on IBM zOS. TMARK interfaces to a number of satellite applications, e.g. DocGen for production of reports, XICS for publishing output, a couple of mid-range applications for EDI under the Madrid Protocol, an automated data capture utility (ADC) for capturing data received electronically, and ATMOSS. Document management is handled via TRACS.


All processing relating to the life-cycle of a trade mark (apart from financial processing) is conducted within this environment. The trade mark Office, along with the Patent and Design Offices in IP Australia is in the process of transitioning its business applications from the mainframe to our strategic server infrastructure environment. The current environment includes Sun Solaris, Oracle RDBMS, J2EE, BEA Weblogic, and Objective EDMS.

 

Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file:  file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file

 

File building

The EDMS e-case file is established for each trade mark application on filing. The EDMS has been developed in-house using a proprietary Australian EDMS product, Objective. The system is known as TRACS - the Trade Mark Records, Applications and Correspondence System.

 

Updating

The TRACS e-case file is updated (added to) as correspondence is received from the applicant/agent or third party, and additionally, as it is generated by the Office. TRACS also contains the search material considered by the examiner during the course of substantive examination, and will also contain information relating to Opposition matters if the application proceeds along this path.

 

Storage, including mass storage media

The TRACS case file stores a variety of Word, Adobe PDF and XML files.

 

Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file

No comment is made here

 

Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)

 

See "In-house Systems", "Internal Databases" and "Information products…"

 

 

Other matters

No comment is made here

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION


Office’s library (if deals with trademark information):  equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries

 

Collection management, preservation

 

All Australian trade mark records/documents are handled in accordance with Office procedures set down under Australian Law and archiving practices.

 

Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and trademark information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web)

 

Information services are available on the IP Australia website - http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/

 

 

Publications related to different business procedures and trademark information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.

 

IP Australia provides lots of useful links and topics on a wide range of business procedures and trade mark information external to IPA through navigation of our website.

 

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/

 

 

 

Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centres, etc.

 

Exporters

 To support the relationship with the Export Council of Australia , IP Australia has developed a range of international fact sheets available online to assist Australian businesses when approaching a global market.

The suite currently includes China, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, European Union and the USA. We are currently undertaking a review of the fact sheets and will work with our international IP office counterparts to ensure their ongoing value.

For 2015-16 our partnership with the Export Council of Australia continues and our body of work involves collaborating on a range of content including web and various publications and communication activities, cross-promotion through digital channels (in particular social media channels) and support of events, programs and speaking opportunities, to assist Australian businesses when exporting. 

 

Accountants:

IP Australia has continued to team up with CPA Australia, an accounting body with more than 150 000 members, to deliver a long-term, tailored information campaign to help accountants understand the benefits of identifying and protecting IP assets. With an increased understanding of IP and its role in building business value, accountants will be better equipped to ensure their client’s IP is properly recognised, protected and managed.

A new Intellectual Property section on the CPA Australia website is now live and consists of a landing page as well as a general technical issues page which contains the reworked Q&As from the two live chats.

Recorded versions of informative webinars have also been published.

 

Engineers:

IP Australia has continued to engage with Engineers Australia; Australia’s peak Engineers professional forum.  There has been an increased focus on utilising national media channels to disseminate IP educational messages and information.

 

SMEs:

IP Australia has conducted a number of workshops aimed at start-ups and small businesses understand the basics of IP before starting a business.  With content focussing on patents and trade marks, as well as general IP management considerations, twenty workshop sessions were hosted around Australia in capital cities and regional centres. Future program enhancements will include refinements to the content to address specific industries such as digital products, or specific business needs such as expansion into international markets including China.

 

 

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Future managers and leaders look set to be more IP-savvy following IP Australia’s  successful bid to have IP included in core units in a new Diploma of Leadership and Management in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

 

Universities

University IP Seminar Series

The purpose of these seminars is to partner with universities to provide an annual lecture on IP that is entertaining and engaging.

As part of IP Australia’s University Research and Commercialisation Plan, a number of initiatives have been identified to increase IP education and awareness within the higher education sector.

One of these initiatives is to deliver a series of TEDx style events with:

•             a compelling narrative – a message that people want to share

•             well-rehearsed engaging presenters who don’t need notes

•             minimalist, graphically designed slides

•             a live webinar and Q&A Twitter hashtag for the virtual audience

•             flexibility to accommodate the needs of the host university

 

In 2015, IP Australia partnered with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to pilot the TEDx format. This event was a success and provided the impetus for IP Australia to formalise a program of TEDx events as part of the agency’s University Research and Commercialisation Plan. The first of this was held in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Titled clever commercialisation: the value of IP in collaboration, the TEDx event held at UTS aimed to attract researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, policy makers and investors to join a conversation about innovation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship. The event was very well received, with a lot of delegate and speaker interaction on IP, collaboration and innovation more broadly.

Videos of each presentation are available on IP Australia YouTube Channel.

 

Secondary Students

IP Australia has partnered with Questacon and the CSIRO to deliver intellectual property workshops to talented and emerging young entrepreneurs.

 

Education and training:  training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.

 

IP Stakeholders Forum (IPSF)

This is the principal forum for consultation, discussion and information exchange on IP matters with the attorney profession and industry.

 

IP Summit

To commence next year, the IP Summit will be an annual event which draws together attendees from industry, academia, the IP profession and government to discuss and share information on IP issues of strategic importance.

 

Executive Visits Program (EVP)

The EVP was established to provide engagement opportunities between IP Australia’s executive and senior representatives from industry associations and private enterprise IP rights filers. By engaging proactively with these stakeholders, through IP Australia initiated consultations, the agency can demonstrate its commitment to seek out views and opinions on IP matters of strategic importance.

 

Indigenous Stakeholder Engagement

IP Australia has continued to deliver its Indigenous engagement program through the highly successful Dream Shield banner.  However, a revised Indigenous engagement plan has been developed during 2015/16 that has resulted in closer cooperative ties with peak Indigenous business support agencies. In addition, increased penetration of IP educative messaging via the increased use of digital media channels has been endorsed for 2016 and beyond. 

 

State -based Events

State-based events targeted a diverse range of business and industry sectors including SMEs, students, researchers and exporters.

 

 

Other Activities

 

IP Australia’s website

The IP Australia website (www.ipaustralia.gov.au) has 2 million visits per annum and is the front door to IP Australia’s digital information and service transactions. It plays a critical role in educating and supporting our customers and facilitating transactions with the agency. In April 2016 the website was redeveloped and relaunched featuring a new information architecture (structure), design, content and user tools. Extensive user research and feedback informed the redevelopment process to ensure the site continues to serve customer needs.

 

IP Toolkit

The IP Toolkit was launched in September 2015 to provide information and resources to help establish the terms for managing and using IP in collaborative activities. The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) and IP Australia jointly developed the IP Toolkit.

The IP Toolkit has three parts – (1) guides with important information such as tips and case studies, (2) tools such as checklists and a term sheet, and (3) model contracts. This information is packaged into PDF documents and hosted on Business.gov.au.

To better meet the needs of the user, IP Australia has been working with DIIS to enhance the content and usability of the toolkit.

IP Australia expects these changes to be completed early in the 2016 financial year

 

Social Media

Social media allows IP Australia to enhance our corporate reputation and interact with our key stakeholders and react to situations in a timely and transparent manner.

As part of our continued efforts to improve and increase IP Australia’s presence on social media channels, consistent with the IP Australia External Communication Strategy 2015-2018, we are undertaking a series of online advertising campaigns through the Government’s dedicated media and advertising agency, Mitchell AdCorp to help educate the public on awareness of IP rights.

Our agency has added value to customer communication with its active social media presence. With more than 5 social media accounts and over 9,500 followers collectively, our agency is seeing an increase in online engagement and building more meaningful relationships with customers, influencers and other relevant stakeholders.

 

eServices and B2B

 

IP Australia’s eServices and B2B channels are the agency’s customer electronic lodgement platforms:

 

  • eServices is IP Australia’s web-based self-service portal that is widely used by private applicants and attorney firms.  This portal caters for every service request type available across Trade Marks, Designs, Patents and Plant Breeder’s Rights.

There are currently over 125,000 registered eServices users.

  • B2B (business-to-business) is an MFT file transfer product IP Australia supports for high-volume customers; enabling the direct transmission of large numbers of service  requests directly into IP Australia’s internal systems. B2B caters for the majority of service request types available across Trade Marks, Designs, Patents and Plant Breeder’s Rights.

There are currently 14 customers that have integrated the B2B software into their case management network.

Since the release of these platforms in 2011, IP Australia’s customer base has significantly changed its lodgement behaviour.  There is currently a 98% uptake of the electronic platforms.  During the concept and build of these platforms, the agency had envisaged an 80% take-up in the two-three years succeeding their release. These aims have been well exceeded as of early 2016.

 

Electronic Correspondence

In September 2014, IP Australia introduced electronic patent correspondence for eServices and B2B customers. This major release represented a first for the agency and assisted us to further streamline our processes and reduce our reliance on physical resources such as paper. Subsequent releases in 2015 has seen the vast majority of Patent, Trade Mark and Design correspondence (including IP Right certificates) transition into electronic formats and submitted to customers by way of either the Online Service or B2B channel.  Customer feedback has been quite positive about this improved functionality.

 

Additionally, the agency is currently trialling the inclusion of ‘meta-data’ within the individual correspondence files.  This initiative was developed from customer feedback (specifically from IP Professionals) as a response to their requests with efforts to completely streamline electronic correspondence concerning their IP Rights.

 

IRPI Functionality

IRPI is now available through IP Australia’s eServices portal and will replace the current option, which is located within the General eServices request form. After logging in to eServices and selecting the option to file ‘Application for International Registration (Madrid Protocol)’, you will be taken to the IRPI eForm hosted by WIPO.

You can track the progress of the application and provide responses though the IRPI eForm. At this stage IRPI will only be used for new international registration applications (Madrid Protocol).

Fee calculator hosted by IP Australia website is static and does not reflect current conversion rate. IRPI system fee calculator is live.



VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION

International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)

 

International or regional cooperation in the exchange of trademark information, e.g., in the form of official gazettes

 

Largely restricted to the Official Journal which is available to all users on-line.

 

Exchange of machine-readable information

 

SGML/XML (MECA) exchange between IP Australia and the International Bureau.

 

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information

 

IP Australia presented at the following seminars and workshops in 2015

  • Assistance to Cambodia in development of Madrid Practice and Procedure (Cambodia June 2015)
  • Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) (Spain November 2015). Discussion on global Trademark Database.

 

Assistance to developing countries

 

Through the WIPO Funds-in-Trust theme of developing the IP system, IP Australia has supported the following activities in 2015:

-       WIPO Australia Advanced IP Marketing and Valuation Training Program (Philippines June 2015)

-       National Workshop on Copyright and Related Rights (Cook Islands April 2015)

-       Sub-regional workshop on Copyright and Development for Decision Makers (Fiji, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu January 2015)

-       National Seminar on Copyright and Related Rights (January 2015)

-       Development of national IP Strategies – Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Myanmar

-       Capacity building  –  Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal (through a Memorandum of Understanding) and India (DAISY Starter Kit)

 

 

Other activities

No comment is made here


VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

 

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

 

Provide information on legislation related to trademarks

Trade Marks Act: http://www.timebase.com.au/IPAust/index.cfm?id=tmact

 

Trade Marks Regulations: http://www.timebase.com.au/IPAust/index.cfm?id=tmreg

 

Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012A00035

 

Contain the Annual Report of the Office

Annual Report

http://www.industry.gov.au/AboutUs/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/Pages/Annual-Report-2014-2015.aspx

Refer part C –Chapters 12-17 for information on IP Australia)

If necessary, provide further information related to the topics referred to in the current ATR

No comment is made here

Provide open source codes related to trademark information systems

No comment is made here

Contain trademark-related news regarding the Office

 

Latest news:

 

Latest news is featured on the home page of IP Australia's website (scroll to News and Community):

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/

 

 

Subscription-based mailing lists

https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/news-and-community/stay-informed

 

Other relevant matters

No comment is made here