• Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure
  • Appendix E - Countries That Have Standard Character Marks or the Equivalent
  • Appendix E - Countries That Have Standard Character Marks or the Equivalent

    Appendix ECountries That Have Standard Character Marks or the Equivalent

    Purpose: The purpose of this appendix is to assist in determining for which countries it is unnecessary to inquire whether and/or confirm that the mark as registered in the foreign registration is in standard characters or the equivalent.

    Explanation: The Office currently requires examining attorneys to inquire whether a mark in a foreign registration is in standard characters or the equivalent. TMEP §807.03(f) . The following list is of countries that have been determined to register marks that are in standard characters or the equivalent. Please note that “country” refers to the country of the foreign registration upon which the applicant relies to obtain registration under §44(e). Thus, for countries on this list, provided that the drawing of the mark in the foreign registration is in block letters or other plain type font, the examining attorney need not inquire whether the registered mark in the foreign registration is in standard characters or the equivalent, unless the applicant has indicated that the mark is not standard characters or the equivalent.

    If the applicant has indicated that the mark is not in standard characters or the equivalent, but the foreign registration is from a country on the list and the mark appears in block letters or other plain type font, the examining attorney must inquire about the discrepancy. In response to the inquiry, the applicant must either amend the application to claim standard characters, or confirm that the mark is not in standard characters or the equivalent. If a particular country is not on this list, the examiner must inquire as to whether the mark in the foreign registration is for a mark in standard characters or the equivalent.

    COUNTRY LIST

    ALBANIA

    ARGENTINA

    AUSTRALIA

    AUSTRIA

    BELGIUM (Benelux Nations)

    BELIZE

    BRAZIL

    BURUNDI

    CANADA

    CHILE

    CHINA (PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF)

    COSTA RICA

    CUBA

    CZECH REPUBLIC

    DENMARK

    ECUADOR

    EL SALVADOR

    FINLAND

    FRANCE (including Overseas Departments and Territories)

    GERMANY

    GUATEMALA

    HONG KONG

    HUNGARY

    ICELAND

    INDIA

    IRELAND

    JAPAN

    KOREA, SOUTH (REPUBLIC OF KOREA)

    LEBANON

    LIECHTENSTEIN

    LUXEMBOURG (Benelux Nations)

    MEXICO

    MONACO

    NETHERLANDS (Benelux Nations)

    NEW ZEALAND

    NICARAGUA

    NORWAY

    PANAMA

    PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC)

    PERU

    PORTUGAL

    RUSSIAN FEDERATION

    SAN MARINO

    SINGAPORE

    SOUTH AFRICA

    SOUTH KOREA (REPUBLIC OF KOREA)

    SPAIN

    SWEDEN

    SWITZERLAND

    TAIWAN (REPUBLIC OF CHINA)(ROC)

    UNITED KINGDOM

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    OTHER TYPES OF REGISTRATIONS THAT ARE FOR STANDARD CHARACTER MARKS OR EQUIVALENT

    MADRID PROTOCOL (provided that the 79’ series application indicates the mark is in standard characters)

    EUROPEAN UNION TRADEMARK (formerly COMMUNITY TRADEMARK (CTM))

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