How To Register A Trademark In Namibia | Easy guide
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How To Register A Trademark In Namibia
Namibia” class=”wp-image-28409″/>In this post, I am going to tell you how to register a trademark in Namibia. A trademark is a type of intellectual property that consists of a distinguishable sign, design, or expression that distinguishes the goods or services of one source from those of other sources. In common parlance, trademarks that are put to use in order to identify services are more commonly known as “service marks” than trademarks.
Requirements for registering a trademark in Namibia:
- A trademark needs to be distinctive, which means that it either needs to stand out on its own or be able to differentiate the products or services of the company it represents from those of other companies operating in the same industry or in related industries.
- A trademark cannot contain any self-congratulatory or laudatory language, such as “first class,” “best quality,” “top quality,” “best ever,” etc.
- A trademark may not contain any elements or phrases that are offensive, derogatory, immoral, or confusing, nor may it contain any words that could be construed as an insult in certain cultures, beliefs, communities, or traditions, among other things.
- In addition to this, it cannot be the same as or confusingly similar to a trade mark that has already been registered by another applicant in connection with goods or services that are comparable.
- It is not appropriate for a trademark to include a coat of arms, a seal, or a national flag; nor should it include any indication of state sponsorship.
Namibia:” class=”wp-image-182580″/>Procedure To Register A Trademark In Namibia:
- To begin, it is strongly recommended that people who wish to apply for trademarks conduct a trademarks similarity search on the BIPA trademark database. This can be done in order to verify that the mark for which they wish to apply is not already in use.
- Once it has been determined that the applicant’s desired trademark is not already in use by another party, they will be required to acquire a Trademark Application form (Form TM 1) from either the IP Office or one of the MITSMED Regional Offices.
Steps to Register A Trademark in Namibia:
- Filing route – The first step is to file your Application at BIPA; or filed at ARIPO or WIPO designating Namibia
- Publication requirements – The applications are published in the Industrial Property Bulletin at BIPA, before registration, for purposes of opposition.
- Opposition period – People are given a period of 60 days to oppose the applications from date of publication
- Duration of protection – The trademark will expire after 10 Years
- Renewal – Renewal of your trademark can take place 10 years after filing date, subject to payment of renewal fee
Frequently Asked Questions For Registering A Trademark in Namibia
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Namibia:” class=”wp-image-182582″/>If you have more questions, look through our blog for answers!
