A new intellectual property service will allow you to search and trade mark goods and services under the UK’s own classification system, it has been announced.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) previously contributed to and shared a common classification system with the EU, known as TMClass.
But following the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, the UK Government has now created a UK-specific database.
With EU and UK legal definitions of intellectual property likely to shift over time, the new tool will benefit businesses by only searching for the relevant UK classification.
Commenting on the new system, the IPO said: “Over time, there may be instances where UK classification diverges from the EU. When applying for a UK trade mark, we will examine the application against the goods and services within the UK database.
“This service will allow you to search for the goods and services you intend to use your trade mark on before you apply.”
Click here to access the service.
For help and advice on related matters, please get in touch with our expert intellectual property team today.