Renewed manual for trade mark examination in Andean countries

At the end of 2023, the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (SGCAN) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presented a new manual for the examination of trade marks in the Andean countries.

This manual, the result of two years of joint work, aims to improve the quality of trade mark registration services in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It offers practical recommendations for examiners and seeks to harmonise examination criteria between the countries, addressing aspects such as the classification of marks and the requirements for their registration, including non-traditional marks such as three-dimensional or sound marks.

Although its use is not mandatory, the manual is presented as a tool to strengthen the trade mark registration process, benefiting both examiners and users by providing clarity on the criteria adopted by the trade mark offices in the region.

The Manual for Trade Mark Examination is available at https://www.comunidadandina.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/MANUAL-DE-MARCAS-COMPLETO-.pdf