INTA Daily News

The President of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) welcomed the enlargement of the EU, saying it has made the Community Trade Mark system a “very strong” instrument. 

Speaking at the session on "EU Enlargement – The Impact on Community Trade Mark Rights" on May 3, 2004, OHIM President Wubbo de Boer said that more than 350,000 Community Trade Marks were extended to the ten new EU countries on April 30. 

In addition, more than 33,000 registered Community design rights were extended to the ten countries that joined the EU at midnight on May 1. The extension happened automatically, with no administrative hurdles or increases in registration fees. However, the Office’s costs will increase, partly due to the need to conduct searches in ten more countries.


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