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.
Changes experienced in terms of application filings and registrations with respect to the previous year
In relation with the previous year, there were no changes in the filing requirements and examination procedures for registration of marks.
The data on the filing applications for the registration of trademarks are as follow:
- Under the National Law - 6 148;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 5 463.
The total of the applications indicate an increase of 2 084 marks compared to the number of such applications filed in 2002.
The data for the registrations are as follow:
- National marks - 2 084;
- Under the Madrid Agreement - 3 772.
– Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year.
Publishing, printing, copying techniques
The Official Bulletin of the Bulgarian Patent Office is published every month i.e 12 issues per year.
The bulletin contains information on the trademarks (bibliographical data and reproductions) entered in the State Register and also appellations of origin. In addition, the bulletin contains the announcements of all changes of the legal status, modifications and cancellations.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of trademark information
- Registered marks
- Renewals
- Transfers of rights
- Modifications of owner's names/addresses
- Licenses
-Cancellations
-Limitation of goods/services
Mark registrations and renewals are generated automatically by the Common Software (CS) and published.
The Certificates for registrations, all changes and renewals are produced automatically by the CS
Mass storage media and microforms used
HDD on Server
Word processing and office automation
Windows XP, MSWord 6.0, MSWord 2000, Page Maker 6.5 plus.
Techniques used for the generation of trademark information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)
A publishing system with a HP Scan Jet scanner, a Las. Printer HP Laser Jet, PC Intel
Pentium Based with Windows XP as OS and Page Maker 6.5 plus.
All data are extracted from the CS and the figurative elements also.
In order to classify goods and services, BPO uses the eight edition of the Nice International Classification of goods and services. For the classification of the figurative elements the Vienna Classification is used.
We use the contained in the CS list of goods and services, according to the Nice Classification and the NIVILO CD-ROM.
Obligation for applicants to use pre-defined terms of the classification applied : it is not requested by our Trademark Law.
Bibliographic data and processing for search purposes: the Office uses an Automated Search System (ASS). There is QBE for bibliographic data in CS and we also use ROMARIN.
– Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the
available search file - No.
- In-house systems (online/offline):
1. Trademark Automated Search System - TASS.
2. The ROMARIN on CD-ROM.
3. The Administrative Automated System - COMMON SOFTWARE.
4. On-line search system for Trademarks - for public access
– External databases:
1. USA databases on CD-ROM - CASSIS;
2. TRACES CD-ROM;
3. OHIM database on CD-ROM;
4. 6-ter CD-ROM;
5. NIVILO CD-ROM.
For the administrative and statistic purposes, the COMMON SOFTWARE is used.
– Equipment used:
1. Hardware:
- Server: HP rp 5430
-Workstation: 1xXHP 9000/7050/50 plus 2xHP 9000/700/50 (for Search system only)
-Computers: about 50
-X-Terminals: 8 useable from WSs plus 6xPCs with XonNET emulators (for Search system only)
2. Software:
- Server:
- UNIX 11.XX as OS
-Informix V 7.3 as DB
- Computers:
- Intel Pentium Based PC;
- Windows XP and '98 as Operating System
- COMMON SOFTWARE v. 3.2, a large client application, developed in Hyperscript tools 4.1.5, used to gain access to database.
Searches in the field of registered and filed for registration trademarks are executed on request. We are doing searches in other countries on CD-ROM collections -“ROMARIN”, “TRACES”, “OHIM”, “CASSIS”.
The security is based on the different kind of access.
Excerpt from the State Register and all information published after the registration of the marks is accessible for the public.
The trademark database is accessible on the World Wide Web of our patent office by our new On-line search system for Trademarks - "BPO ON-LINE".
The Bulgarian Patent Office receives by WIPO “The WIPO Gazette of international Marks” -on paper and CD-ROM and the “ROMARIN” CD-ROM. The Bulletin of OHMI - on CD-ROM and on paper the Official bulletin of other offices.
We are sending monthly our Official Bulletin on paper to 40 other offices.
We are sending every three months our trademark database, according to the TRACES project, for creating the Common CD-ROM for some countries - Romania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria
1. One-day seminar in cooperation with OHIM on “How to protect a trade mark or design in the European Union”, June 2003, Sofia
2. Round table was organized jointly with the International Trademark Association in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
3. Scientific practical Conference on “The role of geographic indications in the Bulgarian Economy” generated a keen interest. It took place on November 2003, and was organized by BPO in cooperation with the IP Centre at the University of National and World Economy and the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture.
4. Round table at the Industrial Property Centre of the Patent Office in the town Varna on “Problems of the law enforcing bodies in connection with the enforcement of IP rights”
5. International Conference on “Bulgaria and the industrial property system – development and prospects”, organized jointly with the Union of Inventors in Bulgaria
6. BPO participated in the 59th International Technical Fair Plovdiv’2003 together with the European Patent Office
7. EPO Seminar: Patent Office website conception, design and maintenance (intermediate level), Vienna, 07.04-11.04.2003
8. EPO Seminar: A guide through IP documentation, Geneva, Vienna, 4-6.06.03 and 10-18.06.2003.
9. EPO Seminar: The EPO:an inside view for new and future member states, 24.11-27.11.2003.
10. EUROFORUM – Trade Marks, THE European Forum on the Community Trade Mark System for the Candidate Countries.
11. Liaison meetings on "Procedure and practice" and "Information and Informatization" in OHIM, Alicante
12. Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications on the Report of the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process, Geneva