This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
VIRGIN ISLANDS Classifi cation


The most significant development proposed by the bill is the protection of service marks. There is a default provision that incorporates the Nice Classification System in the event there is no classification of goods and services prescribed by the Financial Services Commission. The registrar will be empowered to make amendments to existing trademark registrations where their classifications do not conform to the requirements of the new classification and provision is also contemplated for the registrar to allow the trademark owner to submit a proposal for the re-classification of its goods and services.


Opposition proceedings The bill will streamline opposition proceedings and make


some


substantial changes. Currently there is no need to establish that a person has an interest to protect by opposing the registration of a trademark, so anyone can commence opposition proceedings.


It is proposed that only a person with an interest may commence opposition proceedings before the registrar. A person may have an interest in an application by claiming to be the trademark owner, a licensee, or another connection with the trademark that the registrar is convinced is a legitimate interest to be protected, the owner or licensee of a prior trademark which is identical or similar to the trademark which is likely to confuse or mislead the public, a person with a reasonable claim that the registration will not be in the public interest, a person claiming that the registration will violate a provision of the bill or any rule, regulation or order made under it, or any other prescribed person.


Although it is more usual for the Attorney General or even the Financial Services Commission to take up causes of public interest or violations of law, these issues allow for a wider class of persons to have an interest in an opposition.


www.worldipreview.com Cancellation and variation proceedings


Any interested third party would be able to apply to the registrar for a trademark to be cancelled or varied in respect of some or all of the goods or services for which it is registered on the ground that there has been a contravention of, or a failure to observe, any condition entered in the register in relation to its registration. However, the trademark owner would be able to apply to the registrar to cancel the trademark registration by surrendering the certificate of registration.


Revocation and invalidity proceedings


It is not currently possible for any revocation or invalidity proceedings after the opposition period has expired and the trademark is registered. The bill proposes to correct this situation by allowing any aggrieved person to commence revocation or invalidity proceedings based on certain grounds before the registrar or the High Court.


Grounds for refusal of registration


T e current restrictions entitling the registrar to refuse an application for registration have been expanded more along the lines of the EU Trade Mark Directive, which provides extensive grounds for refusal or invalidity.


Renewal of registrations


A trademark will be registered initially for 10 years and then be renewable every 10 years. This will bring the trademark regime in line with general international practice since currently the renewal period is 14 years unless the trademark was re-registered from the UK.


Registrable transactions


The bill provides for several registrable transactions, such as assignments (with or without goodwill), licences, security interests, assents by personal representatives, and court orders. A major development will


World Intellectual Property Review e-Digest 2013 41


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119