In Brief: Trademark legislation
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Trademark legislation: International Trademark Association supports HR 567, stating that its "one-stop" approach to registering international trademark applications would "cut costs and provide a more streamlined process" for U.S. companies, according to testimony submitted to the House Judiciary Committee/Courts and Intellectual Property Subcommittee May 22. Introduced by Sen. Howard Coble (R-N.C.), The Madrid Protocol Implementation Act establishes parameters for implementation of the protocol, following the U.S. accession into the 16-member agreement. A separate companion bill, Trademark Law Treaty (HR 1661), would streamline and harmonize worldwide trademark office procedures. The U.S. Department of Commerce opposes the legislation, maintaining that issues still remain regarding the Madrid Protocol's "voting procedures," as well as concerns regarding competency and "the...definition of intergovernmental organization." The State Department concurred, asserting that is "not in the best interest of the U.S. to become party to the protocol as it now stands."...