The Filing of the Declaration of Use Required by Subsection 40(2) of the Trade-marks Act: Part II

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THEFILINGOFTHEDECLARATIONOFUSEREQUIREDBYSUBSECTION40(2)OF
THETRADE-MARKSACT:PARTII

LaurentCarrière*
LEGERROBICRICHARD
,L.L.P.
Lawyers,PatentandTrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria–BlocE–8thFloor
Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.(514)9876242–Fax(514)8457874
www.robic.ca–info@robic.com

Inapreviousnewsletter,wesawthattheprescribedtimeperiodforthefiling
ofthedeclarationofuseundersubsection40(2)oftheTrade-marksActcould
beextended.
Standardextensionoftime
Thestandardextensionoftimeissix(6)months.However,iftheuseofthe
trade-markisdelayedbecausetheapplicantisawaitingagovernmental
approval,theextensionwillbetwelve(12)monthslong.
Inthelattercase,theTrade-marksOfficewillrequirethatthenameofthe
departmentinquestionbegivenbutwillnotnecessarilydemandacopyof
supportingdocuments.Thispolicyappliestoallgovernmentalapprovals(not
onlyCanadian)required,regardlessofthenumberofwaresorservicesinthe
applicationtowhichtheapprovalpertains;justonewareorserviceis
sufficientforobtainingthe12-monthextension.Furthermore,contraryto
popularbelief,thegovernmentalapprovalsinquestionarenotlimitedto
thoseconcerningpharmaceuticalorrelatedproducts,butincludeany
governmentalapproval.
Afterthreeyears
Requestsforextensionsoftimeforfilingthedeclarationofuseafterthe
expirationofthreeyearsfromtheinitialdeadlinearesubjecttomorestringent
conditions.TheadministrativepracticeoftheTrade-marksOfficerequires




























































©CIPS,1999.
*OfLEGERROBICRICHARD
,L.L.P.,amultidisciplinaryfirmoflawyers,andpatentand
trademarkagents.PublishedintheSpring1999issue(Vol.3,No.2)issueofourNewsletter.
Publication068.019E.

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that“considerableandsubstantivereasons”(or,ifoneprefers,“raisons
considérablesetsubstantielles”)begiven.
EvenifinitiallymisunderstoodbythestaffoftheTrade-marksOffice,itisnow
clearthatthisrequirementof“considerableandsubstantivereasons”only
applieswithrespecttorequestsforextensionsmademorethanthreeyears
aftertheinitialdeadlineforfilingthedeclarationofuse.Onceagain,if
justified,theextensionswillbegrantedforperiodsof6or12months,
dependingonthesituation.Whatremainstobeseeniswhatexactly
constitutes“considerableandsubstantivereasons”.EveniftheTrade-marks
Officeintends,atleastatthebeginning,toproceedonacase-by-casebasis,
onecanalreadyspeculatethatwhatwouldconstitutespecialcircumstances
justifyingnonuseinanadministrativeexpungementnoticeundersection45
oftheActwouldbeaccceptedbytheRegistraras“considerableand
substantivereasons”.However,thesereasonsmusttranscendmeremarketing
efforts,suchasaquestforbusinesspartners.
Finally,itshouldbenotedthatwhentheTrade-marksOfficeisnotsatisfied
withthereasonsprovidedinsupportoftherequestforextension,anoticeof
refusalwillbesent,outliningthepossibilityfortheapplicanttogivebetter
reasonswithinatwo-monthdelay.Ifthesebetterreasonsareaccepted,the
extensionoftimewillthenbeof6or12months,dependingonthecase,from
thetimethattherefurbishedreasonsaresubmitted.Thispolicyapplies
irrespectiveofwhethertherequestforextensionwasmadewithinthefirst
periodofthreeyearsorsubsequentlytoit.
Summary
Withinthe6monthsofthenoticeofallowanceorbeforethe3yearsfollowing
thefilingoftheapplication:noexplanations/reasons/justificationsneedbe
provided;
Duringthe3yearsfollowingtheexpirationofthe6monthsofthenoticeof
allowanceorthe3yearsfollowingthefilingoftheapplication:circumstances
convincingtheRegistrarthattheextensionshouldbegrantedmustbegiven;
Oncethe3yearsfollowingtheexpirationofthe6monthsofthenoticeof
allowanceorthe3yearsafterthefilingoftheapplicationhaveelapsed:the
reasonsprovidedmustbesignificantandsubstantive.

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