Monthly Archive for September, 2009

New Procedures for the Validity of Trademark Renewals in Syria

September 16, 2009

The Syrian Trademark Office announced that it has recently construed the procedures of the implementing regulations No. 1306/2009 regarding the new Intellectual Property (IP) law as follows:

  1. For trademarks under the first renewal application, their validity will be recounted retroactively (10) years from the filing date. Subsequently, such trademarks will NOT be considered as lapsed, rather one late renewal fine will be imposed. Thereby, the next renewal due date will be counted from the first filing date.
  2. As for trademarks which had been already renewed (even for one renewal) and become due for renewal under the new law, they will not be subject to late renewal fine, rather they will be counted from the registration date, i.e. the next renewal due date for those trademarks will be counted from the registration date under the new IP law.

The new regulations resulted from the issuance of the new IP law No. 8/2007 regulating the trademark validity period to be as from the filing date, whereas the previous practice under the former IP law was to count the validity as from the registration date.

Finland to Set up Innovation Centre in Delhi

September 16, 2009

The country of Finland is looking to collaborate with India in bio technology and nano technology, and will meet with Indian officials in October to discuss plans for business and joint research and development.

Finland plans to set up a Finnish Innovation Center (called Finnote) in New Delhi by next year under a science and technology agreement the two countries signed in 2008.

Seppo I. Keranen, a senior consultant at Finpro, an organization under Finland’s Ministry of Employment and Finance, said Under the project we will put together researchers from both the countries and work jointly on developing new technology in various fields. The countries have great potential to work together and cater to third countries.

India has highly technology efficient people and we have high technology knowhow. So both the countries can work together in various sectors. India is a very important market for Finnish companies. Trade between the two countries stands at over US$1 billion per year. Finland also wants to work with India in the areas of healthcare, ecotourism and environmental protection.

Better IPR protection for EU-China Trade

September 16, 2009

EU trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton has called for better IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) protection and the removal of barriers to greater EU China trade.

Speaking at the China International Fair for Investment and Trade in in Xiamen, Fujian Province, Commissioner Ashton said that barriers in China were costly for European business and also deprived the Chinese economy of inward investment.

The Commissioner called for fewer restrictions on investment and said that protection of intellectual property, especially patents, was crucial if companies were to be encouraged to bring their ideas and technology to China.

Practical Measures to Fight Counterfeiting

September 16, 2009

The European Commission has adopted a Communication outlining a series of practical, non legislative measures to combat counterfeiting and piracy and improve the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the European internal market.

The Commission proposes more focused enforcement through greater collaboration between the private sector, national authorities and consumers. Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said that intellectual property rights were amongst the most precious commercial possessions of European businesses.

Unfortunately, there are always those who will seek to undermine honest intentions. We need to stop this dangerous trend not by more legislation, but by mobilising stronger collaboration helping us to fight back “, he said.