NEW DELHI - With the participation of notable Intellectual Property (IP) agents, practitioners and lawyers, a meeting was organized by the Indian Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks on August 22, 2007, to familiarize them with the newly launched e-filing system for trademark and patent applications in India, according to a press release by Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP).

Throughout the meeting, an overview of the new system has been provided and a number of issues have been discussed including the challenges that may be encountered while filing online applications.

“With the introduction of this user-friendly system, India joins the USA, Japan, South Korea, China and the European Patent Office in offering online filing for trademark and patent applications,” AGIP India office Manager, Khalid Al-Khalidi, stated.

“Applicants would now be able to file their patent and trademark applications from anywhere in the world at any time at their convenience through the Internet,” he added.

The e-filing system was launched last month by the Indian Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Kamal Nath, in order to make the filing of patent and trademark applications more smoothly and user-friendly.

Though this system is still in its infancy, it is likely that in the near future processing of the applications (examination, correspondence, opposition, hearing, registration, renewal and assignment, etc.) will be done electronically. This will provide a transparent, error- free and round the clock services.

Presently, the Indian Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks is accepting the new applications through e-filing; the subsequent filing (e.g. request for examination, recordal of assignment, etc.) are to be continued in physical form.

To ensure the security and authenticity of the documents filed, a person who is filing the application must have a digital signature. This requirement is in accordance with the provisions of Indian Information Technology Act of 2000.

source: ag-IP news