25 August, 2017
The Ministry of Commerce in Cambodia launched an online trade mark filing system on 25 May 2017, allowing local and international firms and individuals to file applications to register their trade marks online. This is a further development since Cambodia acceded to the Madrid Protocol in March 2015.
Applicants for trade mark registration in Cambodia may now upload the required documents and information through the online trade mark filing system as well as search the Cambodia Department of Intellectual Property database for potential conflicting marks. The new e-filing gateway will operate alongside the existing manual registration system.
Access to the online filing platform is available by submitting a written request to the Department of Intellectual Property Rights (DIPR) for a user name and password. However, access is only available for applicants with permanent residence or commercial establishments in Cambodia and trade mark agents residing and practising in Cambodia.
Further, the online platform can only be used to file new trade mark applications. Hard copies of the original documents such as a notarized power of attorney or priority documents are still required to be filed within 2 months of the filing date. All post-application-filing correspondence with the DIPR are also still required to be submitted in hard copy.
For more information, please contact:
Siphana Sok, Managing Partner, SokSiphana&associates (a member of ZICO Law)
sok.siphana@zicolaw.com
