The Department of Intellectual Property (DoIP) in collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has successfully conducted a virtual training on trademarks with focus on relative grounds on November 5, 2020. The virtual training is organized with the objective to improve the expertise of the trademark examiners and officials of DoIP on trademark examination with special focus on the relative grounds of examination. The officials from USPTO and DoIP discussed and exchanged ideas on the relative grounds under the respective trademark laws.
Taking into consideration the current COVID-19 pandemic, the training was conducted virtually and was facilitated by the experts from the USPTO. The virtual training is the second collaboration between the DoIP and the USPTO following the formalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June, 2020 between the two agencies.
It is expected that such increased cooperation and assistance from the leading IP Offices from around the world such as with the USPTO will not only lead to a skilled and professional workforce but could also enhance the structural and institutional set-up in the DoIP.