Under the new Trademarks Act, that was enacted on the 12th of June 2020, Trademarks are registred and expire ten years after the application date and they can be renewed for a period of ten years, while under the old regime Trademarks where registered for 7 years since the filing of the Application and they were renewed for 14 years after their first expiration. Please bear in mind that trademarks that have been registered before the 12th of June will expire according to the old rule but once and if they are renewed the new renewal period will be for 10 years.
With regards to renewal applications now the following applies,
Trademarks can be renewed six months before the expiration date.
Trademarks can be renewed 6 months after expiration (grace period) with an additional 50% charge in official fees plus additional legal fees.
If the grace period of 6 months passes and the trademark is not renewed the trademark is stricken off from the trademark registry.
If the trademark is stricken off the trademark registry, there is another period of 6 months in which an application to reinstate it can be filed, but this reinstatement application should be accompanied by evidence to show good force majeure reason(s) for this reinstatement attempt in this second 6 month period. No trademarks can be reinstated after 1 year has passed from the expiration date of the respective trademark.
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