Guides

The Intellectual Property Offices of the European Union Intellectual Property Network continue to collaborate in the context of converging trade mark and design practices. They have now agreed on an additional Common Practice document on trade marks with the aim of providing a common understanding on the concepts of public policy and accepted principles of morality, clarifying the relationship and the differences between these two concepts. In addition, it establishes common criteria for the assessment of whether a sign is contrary to public policy and/or to accepted principles of morality and provides illustrative examples of the criteria and the groups of signs identified.

The Common Practice document is made public through this Common Communication with the purpose of further increasing transparency, legal certainty and predictability for the benefit of examiners and users alike.

The implementation date of the Common Practice for Cyprus is set at 19/07/2024 for procedures that will initiate after the implementation date.

Trade marks contrary to public policy or to accepted principles of morality