|
>[07.jun.06]
Trademarks
- New Practice Guidelines in New Zealand
Trade mark practice guideline amendment 2006/05 in New
Zealand
Source: Intellectual Property Office
of New Zealand (IPONZ) Newsletter June 2006
The use of virgules and solidi (“/”)
between goods or services in a specification can create
ambiguity as to the actual nature of the goods or services.
It also creates issues for examiners when searching
on the IPONZ database as words with virgules and solidi
are not able to be picked up by the search function.
Moreover, obvious spelling errors create unnecessary
correspondence between examiners and the applicant or
their Attorneys.
Currently, the Office practice is to write to the applicant
and require these to be amended in accordance with the
Office’s specification drafting syntax and to
ensure that the nature of the specific goods or services
is clear.
IPONZ will no longer write to applicants regarding such
minor amendments. Where appropriate, IPONZ will amend
virgules and solidi where they appear in a specification
to “and/or”. For example the goods “cars/boats”
will be amended to “cars and/or boats”.
Minor spelling errors will also
be amended by the examiner without sending a Compliance
Report or contacting the Attorney.
<
Back
|
