UKIPO adds 3m trademarks to database
The office signed up to a global brands database of more than 50 million marks | UK Intellectual Property Office | World Intellectual Property Organization.
Around three million UK trademarks are set to be added to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) global brands database, an online resource which provides access to more than 50 million records.
In an announcement shared yesterday, July 18, the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) said that it had signed a cooperation agreement with WIPO at the General Assemblies in Geneva.
WIPO’s global brands database, which holds records from some 71 national and international collections, can be used by businesses across the world when registering a trademark, to check if the mark—or a similar mark—already exists.
Tim Moss, chief executive of the IPO, said: "We are pleased to be working with WIPO to support great British brands, and benefit IP users around the globe. The addition of more than three million UK registered trade marks to WIPO’s database will help businesses grow their brands with confidence. By providing additional protection, it will reassure UK trade mark holders that their mark is less likely to be infringed.”
Initially, the UK will add approximately three million records. These trademarks will show up in searches of the database made by anyone.
Daren Tang, WIPO’s director general, said: “We are delighted with the inclusion of the UK trademarks collection in WIPO's global brand database.
"This is a significant step for users the world over and greatly enhances the value of the database, especially for companies seeking to file a new trademark application in multiple countries.
“The new agreement also paves the way for greater technical collaboration between our offices, including the use of machine learning to improve the efficiency of IP-related procedures.”
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