Starting May 1, 2024, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office will launch the trademark registration accelerated examination highway

On May 1, 2024, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office launched an accelerated trademark registration review mechanism to provide an accelerated access channel for right holders who are in urgent need of trademark registration certificates. Applicants who apply for accelerated review must submit relevant supporting materials to the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office and pay the corresponding accelerated review fee. Generally, TIPO will complete the first review opinion within 2 months after receiving the request for accelerated review. If corrections are made during the review process, the progress of the accelerated review will be affected.

The conditions for trademark registration applicants to apply for accelerated examination of trademark registration are as follows:

Time to submit a request for accelerated examination:

• From the time of trademark application to the time when TIPO issues the first examination notice,

The conditions that can be put forward are:

• If all the goods or services specified in the trademark registration application have been actually used or are being prepared for use;
• Although only some of the goods and services have been used, the necessity and urgency of obtaining the rights in business can be demonstrated, such as:
  • A third party uses the trademark beyond its rights without the consent of the trademark registrant;
  • A third party requests authorization;
  • It has been regularly listed or exhibited.

TIPO Special Reminder: Non-traditional trademark forms; involving controversial trademarks; if the meaning of the designated goods or service names is broad or unclear, they will lead to corrections or suspension of processing, which will have an impact on the trademark registrant. Trademark registration applicants need to pay special attention.

In addition, the trademark image of the trademark registration must be exactly the same as the actual trademark in use in order to meet the conditions for accelerated examination. If the examination is shelved due to non-compliance with the conditions, TIPO will not refund the accelerated examination request fee.