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ARTICLE · 11 JULY 2016

Will New Trademark Regime Raise The Bar?

Smart & Biggar
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The new Trademarks Act's registration requirements and provisions on distinctive marks look set to have a significant impact on how pharmaceutical companies manage their trademark strategies

CanadaIntellectual Property
Smart & Biggar
Smart & Biggar
Meghan Dillon
Meghan Dillon
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The new Trademarks Act's registration requirements and provisions on distinctive marks look set to have a significant impact on how pharmaceutical companies manage their trademark strategies

Canada continues to await implementation of amendments to the Trademarks Act set out in Bill C-31, the Economic Action Plan 2014 Act (No 1). The bill received royal assent in June 2014 and is expected to be implemented in 2018. The stated goal of the amendments is to bring Canada into line with international practice, allowing it to accede to the Madrid Protocol, the Singapore Treaty and the Nice Agreement. The legislative amendments are likely to present both benefits and challenges for applicants in all industries, with the pharmaceutical industry being no exception.

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