TM5 Offices Co-launch ID List to Facilitate Trademark Applications
On 26 January 2015, TM5 ID List, a database that facilitates online search of IDs i.e. descriptions of goods or services associated with the trademarks for which protection is sought, was co-launched by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) of China, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) of Europe, Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), and Japan Patent Office (JPO) (collectively TM5 offices).
The List currently comprises about 14,000 IDs. By selecting IDs from the List which have been pre-approved by TM5 offices, a trademark applicant seeking trademark registrations from two or more of the participating offices of the project can expect increased predictability and consistency of decisions among the offices. On the other hand, if the applicant chooses to draft an ID on his own, there is a chance that individual trademark office may find the ID not written clearly enough, thereby prolonging the process of application.
The List, available in English only now, is accessible via http://oami.europa.eu/ec2/tm5/?lang=en. It is reported that efforts are underway to extend the translations of the IDs in other languages including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
