Costa Rica

Powers of Attorney only need to be notarized where previously they needed to be both Legalized and Notarized.

 Ghana

The Madrid Protocol enters into force in Ghana on September 16, 2008.  Further information will follow on the application of national use requirements and other matters.

  European Union (CTM)

Following information on new legislation pending implementation in Guernsey where Community Trade Mark rights will be considered valid, a clarification has been provided regarding the difference between official rights –vs- perceived rights of a CTM.

Some overseas territories covered by national registrations of European Union member-states are also covered officially by a Community Trade Mark.  These include:

• The French Overseas Departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe (including Saint-Barthelemy and the French part of Saint-Martin), French Guyana and Reunion
• The Finnish territory of the Aland Islands
• The Portuguese territories of the Azores and Madeira Islands
• The Spanish territories of the Canary Islands and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa
• Gibraltar

Many overseas territories covered by national registrations of European Union member-states are NOT covered officially by a Community Trade Mark.  These include:

• Cyprus – The northern portion*
• Denmark – Greenland and the Faroe Islands
• France - Overseas Territories: French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis & Futuna Islands, French Antarctic Territories - Territorial Communities: Mayotte, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
• Italy – San Marino, Vatican City
• United Kingdom – Falkland Islands, Crown dependencies of the United Kingdom (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man)**

* The part of Cyprus that is member to the European Union considers their trademarks to be valid throughout all of Cyprus despite North Cyprus having their own, separate registry.  CTM rights do not apply in the North.

** With regards to Jersey and the Isle of Man, local courts will recognize a CTM as valid without re-registration and similar legislature has been introduced in Guernsey.  Extension of a Community Trademark may be applied for in the Cayman Islands.  However, these situations are based on national law and do not change the official scope of a CTM.

  Switzerland

Clarifications have been provided regarding prints of the mark as rules pertaining to heraldic shading and marks using a combination of lower-case and capital letters changed to where prints are no longer needed.

Also, a clarification on appeals has demonstrated that an appeal can be lodged before the Federal Administrative Court against all decisions of the Trade Mark Office.  The deadline for lodging the appeal is 30 days as from the issuance of the decision of the Trade Mark Office.

  United Arab Emirates

Clarifications have been provided regarding legalization requirements for the priority documents.  In case of claiming priority a certified copy of the priority document is required. Where the document is other than English a certified English translation is required. No legalization of the priority document or the English translation is required. 

This change does not affect other documentation requirements and the documents for change of name and assignment must still be notarized and legalized by the UAE consulate.