TIPS^®  Taiwan Intellectual Property Special

Status of Taiwan Trademark Legislation

The current Trademark Law was amended on May 7, 1997 and enforced on November 1, 1998. On September 15, 1999, amendments to the Trademark Enforcement Rules were also implemented.

For the past one year, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has completed several regulations governing trademark examination standards, including the Guidelines for Determination of Well Known Trademarks and Other Marks, Examination Guidelines for the Registration of Retail Service Marks, the Guidelines for Determining Interested Parties, Examination Standards for Similar Goods (Services), Examination Standards for Trademark Distinctiveness, and Examination Standards Regarding Plagiarizing Another Person's Trademark or Other Mark and Thus Likely Causing the Public to Form a Mistaken Belief.

Recently, the IPO is amending the Examination Standards for Trademark Similarity. A public hearing on the first draft of the Examination Guidelines for Color Combinations for Trademarks and Service Marks was also held on October 27, 1999 to solicit public input. Most significantly, an initial draft of amendment on the Trademark Law has been completed by the IPO.