TRADEMARK REGISTRATION IN MOLDOVA
Effective trademark protection allows avoiding problems and potential losses especially in cases of infringement or/and unfair competition by third parties. To ensure respect for the trademark rights, registration of trademarks is paramount; although it is not a straightforward process, assistance of an experienced and highly qualified trademark attorney will ensure successful prosecution of a trademark application.
The ways to obtain the exclusive right to a Trademark:
In Moldova a trademark shall be granted legal protection by virtue of:
The following should be taken into account for registration of a trademark in Moldova:
APPLICANT
Anyone claiming to be a proprietor of a trademark may apply for the registration of the mark. Nationals and foreigners have equal right in this regard but a foreign applicant must be represented by a Moldovan Attorney.
CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS
The International (Nice) Classification of goods/services (latest edition).
POWER OF ATTORNEY REQUIREMENTS
POA should be provided with the position and name of the signatory, date and place of signing, authorized by the company stamp. Notarization or Legalization is not required.
POA signed by legal representative should be submitted with the document confirming authorization of the representative to authorize documents on behalf of the company.
PROCEDURE
The procedure for obtaining Trademark registration in Moldova is full examination of the Application with the opposition period. The first stage after filing is formal examination, and the second stage is the substantive examination.
TRADEMARK SEARCH:
Trademark search is not obligatory for Trademark Registration in Moldova, but it is highly recommended in order to avoid confusing similarity of your mark to already registered and applied trademarks, which can result in a refusal.
Considering the search results and evaluations of our experienced Moldovan Trademark Attorney, it would be possible to estimate the risks of receiving a refusal and evaluate the possible strategies to overcome it as well as the chances of success.
In this estimation the following factors would be assessed:
This preliminary assessment of the protectability of the mark assists the applicant to avoid unnecessary costs, while considering all available options in obtaining protection for the mark.
APPLICATION FILING:
The following information and documents are required for Application filing:
EXAMINATION
Formal examination: The formal examination entails checking the compliance of the application and accompanying documents with statutory requirements.
Substantive Examination. In the substantive examination, the mark is thoroughly examined in respect of distinctiveness, similarity (or being identical) with existing trademarks on the Register of Trademarks, and compliance with the requirements of the Trademark Law and Rules of Examination.
Refusals: In case of a refusal, our Moldovan Trademark Attorney will carefully review the refusal to provide a Legal Opinion and discuss with the Applicant or representing attorney, the options available in overcoming said refusal.
TIME FROM FILING TO REGISTRATION
If no obstacles, generally up to eighteen (18) months.
The procedure of expedited examination is available in Moldova, which allows to obtain registration within twelve (12) – sixteen (16) months.
OPPOSITION TERM
The opposition period in Moldova is provided by law within 3 months from the application publication date.
PROTECTION TERM
The registration is valid for ten (10) years from the filing date.
RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS
The validity of a Trademark can be extended through a request for a renewal.
The renewal is valid for ten (10) years. The renewal request can be submitted within six (6) months prior to the expiration date of the trademark.
The registration may be renewed within a six-month period following its expiry, provided that an additional official fee is paid for the late renewal.
The following information and documents are required for renewal:
DECLARATION OF USE
Not required.
NON-USE GRACE PERIOD
The non-use grace period is five (5) years from the trademark registration (publication) date.
ASSIGNMENT
LICENSING
RECORDAL OF THE HOLDER’S NAME/ADDRESS CHANGE