MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1990
21
INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS FOR TRADE MARKS IN 1989
*
THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, MR NOEL GLEESON, SAID TODAY
(MONDAY)
THE TRADE MARKS REGISTRY OF HIS DEPARTMENT SHOWED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR TRADE MARKS RECEIVED DURING 1989, WITH APPLICATIONS TOTALLING 10,255, COMPARED WITH 8,956 IN THE PREVIOUS
YEAR.
THERE WERE 4,060 NEW TRADE MARKS REGISTERED, TOTAL NUMBER OF TRADE MARKS REGISTERED TO 54,255.
BRINGING THE
IN THE PATENTS REGISTRY, THE NUMBER OF UNITED KINGDOM PATENTS RE-REGISTERED LOCALLY DURING 1989 WAS 1,030, AS AGAINST 1,070 IN 1988.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF "LIVE" OR VALID PATENTS RE-REGISTERED WAS NOW APPROXIMATELY 15,000.
IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GIVE A PRECISE FIGURE AS THIS DEPENDED ON THE LIVES OR VALIDITY OF THE PATENTS AS ORIGINALLY REGISTERED IN THE UK PATENTS OFFICE IN LONDON, MR GLEESON SAID.
THE RECORDS OF THE TRADE MARKS REGISTRY WERE NOW COMPUTERISED BUT THIS DID NOT AS YET EXTEND TO SEARCH FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC, HE POINTED OUT.
MR GLEESON SAID THE STANDARDS OF THE TRADE MARKS AND PATENTS REGISTRIES, BOTH OPERATIONALLY AND IN THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THEM, WERE HIGH AND WERE WELL REGARDED INTERNATIONALLY.
NEVERTHELESS, THERE WAS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND, FOLLOWING UPON A STUDY COMMISSIONED BY
HIM, THESE REGISTRIES WOULD FORM LATER THIS YEAR THE CORB OF A NEW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
DEPARTMENT.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW DEMONSTRATE THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT LEGITIMATE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS.
DEPARTMENT WOULD CLEARLY TO THE PROTECTION OF
THE DEPARTMENT, UNDER THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, WOULD IN DUE COURSE BE EXPANDED TO ENABLE IT TO FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY AND WIDEN THE RANGE OF ITS ACTIVITIES.
MR GLEESON SAID THIS FURTHER EXPANSION WOULD INCLUDE THE FORMULATION OF LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS.
TRADE MARKS FOR SERVICES (AS DISTINCT FROM TRADE MARKS FOR GOODS) WOULD BE GIVEN A HIGH PRIORITY, AS AND WHEN RESOURCES PERMITTED.
OTHER FIELDS FOR FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT WOULD
INCLUDE THE
PROTECTION OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS, COPYRIGHT LAW, AND A NEW SYSTEM AND LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF PATENTS AND PETTY PATENTS.
/THIS EXPANSION