Law simplifying trademark applications in effect from today

An EU directive to simplify trademark law has been introduced in the Republic in a move the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation believes will lead to lower costs for applicants.

In what is the first major reform of trademark law in Ireland for more than 20 years, the directive transposed into Irish law modernises the trademark system in Europe and harmonises national laws across member states.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys said the reforms are designed to make trademark law fit for the challenges of business in the 21st century.

Innovations

“They include a wide range of innovations, both legal and technical, which will mean more efficiency for businesses. In practice, this translates into lower costs, greater predictability and more legal certainty,” she said.

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In Europe, a trade mark can be registered either at national level or EU level. And while small businesses have increasingly been applying for trademarks, they tend to prefer national systems, the department said.

The introduction of the new system allows for co-operation between national intellectual property offices and the EU system.

The four statutory instruments required to transpose the law came into effect on Monday.