The Iraqi Trademark Office is officially asking for the refiling of a trademark application with filing number preceding 72,000 only if the application is determined to be confusingly similar/identical to a newly filed application by a third party pursuant to relative grounds examination. The deadline to refile the application will be seven days from the official notification date. The refiling arrangement will apply only to applications filed before March 2016 (through the old filing system) that have not been published by August 2017.
This news follows the introduction of a new procedure at the TMO for the renewal of trademarks, and for the recordal of assignment, merger, change of name, as well as change of address, which entails the publication of notices in the Official Gazette. Needless to say, this revised practice comes with an additional official fee for publication.
Should you have any questions, or require any additional information, please contact us at news@sabaip.com