ARMENIA TOUGHENS PROTECTION OF TRADEMARKS

/ARKA/
OCTOBER 22, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 22, /ARKA/. The government of Armenia approved
today a bill on making changes to the Law on Trademarks and to the
Law on Geographic Marks, designed to raise the level of defense of
intellectual property.

A deputy economy minister Vahe Danielian said the changes are expected
to rule out repetition of trademarks or their semblance to the degree
of confusion.

"In the past primary right holders could defend their rights in the
court if their brands were repeated by other companies. Now they
could do so within two months during which they need to inform the
public at large,’ the deputy minister said.

The minister reminded of instances when Armenian businessmen registered
world famous trademarks, regarding them as their property and then
prevented the original brands entrance in Armenia. Now, the deputy
minister said, a trademark can be deposited.

He said also changes were made into the mechanisms of providing
geographic marks, that is the information about the origin of
produces. He said this aspect is not regulated by the current law. The
proposed bill bring the relating law in conformity with the European
standards.

"This means that Armenian trademarks and Armenian products will be
protected across the globe,’ he said. Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian
said the bill had been discussed with some government agencies and
head of enterprises and their comments and recommendations were taken
into account.