Annual Technical Report 2009 on Trademark Information Activities submitted by Suriname (CWS/ATR/TM/2009/SR)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

I. Evolution of registration activities

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

There were 1446 applications filed in the year 2009. This was a small decrease from 2008 when 1283 were filed.

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of secondary sources of trademark information, i.e., trademark gazettes

Publishing, printing, copying techniques

The Intellectual Property Office of Suriname publishes accepted trademarks in the general advertisement paper.The marks are only published after acceptance by the office.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information

The announcements of the office are mostly made through e-mailing or through circulars. There is no official Trademark Gazette. To create awareness concerning trademarks the office sents brochures to schools, bussinesses, institutions and other interest groups.

Mass storage media and microforms used

The main records are submitted and stored on paper. The trademark records and administration are handled by an automated system. For this system there is an database administered on an server. Back ups are made on daily basis.

Word processing and office automation

The office has 9 members and 7 of them have a PC. At this moment the office has a small wired LAN for these 7 computers using Windows server 2003.

The trademark databases are only accessible by members of the office but not for the public.

Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)

In preparation of the IPAS data is entered in exell and access. Information is available through access and exell.The data of applications for registration of trademarks from October 2007 has started to be entered in IPAS and the user documents from October 2007.

III. Matters concerning classifying, reclassifying and indexing of trademark information

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 (please indicate whether goods and services for the registration of marks and whether the figurative elements of marks are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification(s) is (are) used)

The classification system used are the International Classification of goods and services for the purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice classification).

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

The applicant is required to use mostly the wording of the Nice Classification if possible.

Bibliographic data and processing

Data is stored on paperbasis and in an electronic database.Searches are done manually and electronically.
The public can search manually in the paperbased files.

IV. Trademark manual search file establishment and upkeep

File Building

Searches are done manually and electronical. Manually searching through the paperbased files is also available for the public. Electronic search is only for the members of the office.

Updating

Files are updated via the database system.

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

Other offices documentation do not form part of the existing search file.

V. Activities in the field of computerized trademark search systems

In-house systems (online/offline)

The inhouse system currently allows only access to members of the office.

External databases

The office is not linked with external databases.

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)

Registers are generated after publication and contains the history of the trademark applications.
Statistics are made in seperate files on monthly basis.

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

There is a small wired LAN for 7 computers using Windows server 2003 technology. There is a server.

VI. Administration of trademark information products and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, registering trademarks, assisting clients with search procedures, obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

Planning, administration, automation, security

The Intellectual Property Office is located in the main building of the Ministry of Public Works and is situated on the ground floor. The building is secured by security personnel.

Collection management, preservation

Documents are stored in a well-closed room.

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)

There is information available for the public in the form of brochures. Searches in the registers are conducted by the public and trademark agents for free.

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of trademark documentation and information

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

There is no international and regional cooperation for providing the trademark information as there is no official trademark gazette.

Exchange of machine-readable information

There is no exchange of machine-readable information.

VIII. Matters concerning education and training, including technical assistance to developing countries (please indicate URLs of web pages of the Office’s website wherever appropriate)

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

The office has brochures explaining the different field of intellectual property. These brochures are sent to different schools, institutions and others interested in Intellectual Property.
E-mails with information on Intellectual Property are also sent to different institutions.

Training courses for national and foreign participants

Members of the office are encouraged to enroll in the distance learning programes offerde by the WIPO WorldWide Academy

IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

X. Other relevant matters