Trademarks newly filed or renewed with Customs in or after January 2017 will receive better protection until the expiration of the trademark registration.
Trademark owners can apply for customs recordation of their registered trademarks with the customs authorities conducting general inspections of imported and exported products bearing the same or similar logos as the recorded trademarks. The owner must provide Customs with:
- an application;
- copies of relevant trademark certificates;
- information for identifying genuine and counterfeit goods; and
- other necessary documents.
In the past, customs recordation was valid for one year. Before the expiration of the one-year term, the trademark owner was entitled to apply for a one-year renewal. Renewals had to be filed annually.
The revised regulation, effective from January 1 2017, stipulates that the recording of newly filed or renewed trademarks will be valid until the expiration date of the trademark registration. It is no longer necessary to renew the customs recordation each year, which will save money and increase anti-counterfeiting efficiency.
For further information on this topic please contact Ruey-Sen Tsai at Lee and Li Attorneys at Law by telephone (+886 2 715 3300) or email ([email protected]). The Lee and Li website can be accessed at www.leeandli.com.
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