From November 24, OHIM will only examine trade mark applications and process any mail related to them after they are paid for. This means the Office can be more efficient, as it will no longer examine applications that ultimately will never be paid for.
OHIM is a European Union agency that serves businesses across the EU. It believes to have a duty to all those who use their services to be as efficient as possible – and to pass those efficiency gains back to our users. Historically 4% of the Community trade mark applications received are examined but not paid for – and this figure is increasing. That means OHIM loses time and loses efficiency.
By linking the examination of an application to its payment, it will be making sure that files that are paid for are treated in a timely manner and will avoid examining files that will never be paid for.
Fast Track processing of trade mark applications
From November 24, and coinciding with this change, the users will have the option of having their applications published more quickly with our new “Fast Track” procedure, free of charge. The Fast Track means that the trade mark application will be published in half the time or less, as compared to regular applications.
The Fast Track also means no classification deficiencies – our users have to select their goods and services from a database of terms already accepted by OHIM and by almost all national intellectual property offices of the European Union.
For an application to qualify for, and remain in, Fast Track applicants need to, among other conditions:
- Select the goods and services from OHIM’s harmonised database, which contains pre-validated and pre-translated terms.
- Pay at the end of the application process or immediately after submission.
Additionally, the application should not trigger any deficiency finding at the time of submission or during its examination by OHIM staff.
