Examination Of Trademark Applications

It is taking approximately 50 months for CIPO to examine a trademark application. This is a national embarrassment which just does not seem to be addressed. The steps followed under the Trademarks Act concerning an application are set out below.

Once a duly completed application and the prescribed fee is received by the Registrar, a filing date is given to the application. A search of the register is then done to identify similar or confusing trademarks. The application and search results are passed to an examiner. The application is examined and must be refused if:

1. The application does not describe the goods and services in ordinary commercial terms, define the trademark applied for or comply with other matters relating to form and content of application and the trademark.