Government notifies new Trademark Rules to simplify application filing

NEW DELHI: The government has notified the new Trademark Rules 2017 to streamline and simplify the process of trademark application filing.

The new rules came into effect from Monday, replacing the erstwhile Trademark Rules 2002.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion notified the amended rules to improve the ease of doing business in the area of trademark applications bringing down the number of forms to eight from 74. It has also scrapped several redundant and obsolete provisions.

For individuals, startups and small enterprises, the government will provide discounted application fees and expedited processing. The fee for filing applications online has been reduced by 10% to encourage digitisation of processes. The number of adjournments that can be sought in opposition proceedings has been restricted to two by each party to help dispose matters speedily.

Alongside, the option of conducting hearings through video conferencing has been introduced.

“The examination time for a trademark application has already been brought down from 13 months to one month in January 2017; this is despite a stupendous 35% jump in filings in 2015-16 vis-avis the previous year,“ DIPP said.