Since 2009, newly notified signs have been published online by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) every six months at the end of March and September.
Australia has a period of 12 months from the notification date to advise whether protection will be provided for the signs. The notification date is the day on which the sign is published by WIPO.
The recently notified signs can be accessed from the Article 6ter Express Database page via the link to the documents of the last publication. After September 2023, the signs indicated by this notice will no longer be the most recently published, but they can then be viewed by using the structured search to select a publishing date of 31 March 2023.
If you consider that the extension of protection to a newly notified sign may have a significant adverse effect on your prior trade mark rights you may lodge an objection with the Registrar of Trade Marks. An objection may also be based on an established practice for the use of a sign or a legitimate need or right to use the mark in Australia. Alternatively you may wish to provide the Registrar with additional information in relation to the extension of protection to a notified sign.
Objections to the protection of any of these signs must be lodged with IP Australia and must be received by 29 February 2024.
All objections and any additional information will be considered by the Registrar on their merits and any appropriate objections will be conveyed to the International Bureau at WIPO.
For more information, contact us to speak to Blake Knowles in our Trade Marks and Designs section.