TM5 Mid-term Meeting and IT Experts Meeting

2021 TM5 Mid-term Meeting

(Hosted by CNIPA)

The TM5 Midterm Meeting took place online on 25-26 May 2021, organised by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the host of this year’s meetings.

The TM5 discussions focused on cooperative projects, including new project proposals on opposition and review procedures – proposed jointly by CNIPA and EUIPO – and on archive management practices, proposed by CNIPA. In terms of ongoing projects, Partner offices exchanged on fraudulent solicitations, bad faith, non-traditional marks, trade mark infringement, and user involvement and communication, and Partners shared experiences and tips regarding recent filing trends. Discussions will continue in August during the Working Level Meeting.

The Partner offices also discussed preparations for the 2021 TM5 Annual Meeting, which may take place virtually or in person depending on the global health situation.

TM5 IT Support for Trade Mark Examination Project Experts Meeting

On 26-27 July 2021, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) hosted a virtual IT Expert meeting among the TM5 Partners in the framework of the IT Support for Trade Mark Examination Project.

During this meeting, the Partners exchanged views on technologies used to examine goods and services, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, blockchain, and teleworking. Among other things, CNIPA presented on its Goods/Services Dictionary Database, the EUIPO on its Harmonised Database and IP Register in Blockchain, KIPO on its AI-aided figurative mark search, JPO on its efficiency tools building on Agile Development, and the USPTO on new Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline workflows and its Automated Specimen Analysis Product (ASAP).

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a regular observer at TM5 meetings, also participated in the meeting and gave a presentation on the WIPO Digital Access Service (DAS).