New addition regarding Trade-Marks Regulations in Canada – Divisional Applications

NEWADDITIONREGARDINGTRADE-MARKSREGULATIONSINCANADA–
DIVISIONALAPPLICATIONS

GABRIELST-LAURENT*
ROBIC,LLP
LAWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS

OnFebruary10,2018,theCanadiangovernmentintroducedthenewversionoftheTrade-
MarksRegulations(the“Regulations”)which,withtheexceptionofsomeminor
modifications,willcomeintoforceduring2019.
InlightofthefuturechangesthatwillbebroughttotheTrade-marksActand,
coincidentally,tothegeneralpracticeoftrade-markpractitioners,thisnewversionofthe
Regulationsismuchdenserthanthepreviousone,thenumberofarticleshavingmore
thandoubledfrom61to162.Amongthenewdispositionstobeincludedinthe
RegulationsareprovisionsrelatedtotheMadridProtocol,theNiceAgreementaswellas
theSingaporeTreaty,threeinternationalinstrumentsCanadawishestojoinin2019.
Ofallthechangesthatwilltakeplacewiththecomingintoforceofthenewversionofthe
Regulations,oneofthemostsignificantiscertainlytheadditionofdivisionalapplications.
Indeed,itwillnowbepossiblefortheownerofanapplicationto“divide”saidapplication
intoone(ormore)separateapplications.
Itisreasonabletothinkthatthisnewpracticewillofferadvantages,insomeinstances
strategic,mostnotablywithregardtooppositionproceedings.Tothateffect,underthe
currentregime,whenathirdpartydecidestoopposeatrade-markapplication,ithasno
choicebuttoopposetheentireapplicationeveniftheallegedlyconfusinggoodsrepresent
onlyaportionofthegoodsorservicescontainedintheapplication.Withtheupcoming
changesbeingbroughttotheRegulationsanduponbecomingawareoftheclaims
containedinastatementofopposition,theownerofanopposedapplicationwillnowbe
abletofileadivisionalapplicationinordertoseparatethepotentiallyconfusinggoods
allegedinthestatementofoppositionfromtherestofthegoodsorservicescontainedin
theapplication.Bydoingso,theremaininggoodsandserviceswillbeabletocontinue
theregistrationprocesswithoutfurtherhindranceordelayandtheoppositionproceeding
willbelimitedtothegoodsandservicescontainedinthedivisionalapplication.

©CIPS,2018.*GabrielSt-LaurentisalawyerforROBIC,LLP,afirmoflawyers,patentandtrademarkagents.

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UnderthenewversionoftheRegulations,anapplicantwillbeabletodividehisapplication
atanygivenmomentpriortoregistration.Onceanapplicationissplit,thedivisional
applicationwillreceiveanewapplicationnumberandwillbeprocessedindependentlyof
theoriginalapplication.However,itistobenotedthatanydeadlineimposedonthe
applicantatthetimeofdivisionoftheoriginalapplicationwillalsoapplytothenew
divisionalapplication.Lastly,intheeventthatadivisionalapplicationwouldmatureto
registration,theRegulationsalsoprovidethattheRegistrarwillbeabletoamendthe
registerinordertoconsolidatetheregistrationsresultingfromthesameoriginal
application.
Ofcourse,theattractionofthisnewadditiontothetrade-markspracticewillnotbelimited
onlytooppositionproceedings.Forexample,intheeventthatanapplicationwouldbethe
subjectofanexaminer’sreport,itwillbepossibleforanapplicanttodivideitsapplication
sothatonlythegoodsorservicesbeingthesubjectoftheexaminer’sreportbecontained
therein,thusallowingtheremaininggoodsandservicestoproceednormallytowards
registration.Thecontributionoftrade-markprofessionalswillthereforebeallthemore
importantgiventhatthelatterwillbecalledupontodevelopfilingoroppositionstrategies
tailoredtotheparticularcircumstancesandneedsofclients.
Thepossibilityoffilingdivisionalapplicationsisonlyanoverviewoftheupcomingchanges
thataresettotakeeffectinCanadawithinthecomingyear.Indeed,severalother
changes,includingthedurationofaregistration,thecostsrelatedtofilinganapplication,
theregistrationprocessaswellastheverydefinitionofatrade-mark,willdisruptthetrade-
markpracticeinCanada.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsregardingdivisionalapplicationsortheimplementationofthe
newversionoftheRegulationsingeneral,pleasedonothesitatetocontactoneofour
teammembers.