OHIM to phase out Manual of Trademark Practice
The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) has announced today, July 1, that it will phase out the current Manual of Trademark Practice and replace it with a new set of guidelines by August 1.
So far some of the revised guidelines are published alongside the existing parts of the manual on OHIM’s website. Sections on opposition filings and cancellation proceedings in Community trademarks have been completely updated.
The new guidelines were adopted by the president of OHIM, António Campinos, in December 2013.
An official statement from OHIM said: “The revision of the guidelines will increase consistency and predictability for users, and is aligned with the goals of OHIM’s strategic plan.”
The guidelines are currently published in five EU languages—English, French, German, Italian and Spanish—but the organisation does intend to translate them into all the languages of each member state.
