Category Archives: Hague Agreement

Time of day at RO/IB returns to normal for US filers

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On March 8 I blogged that US filers filing documents at the International Bureau needed to pay extra close attention to what time it is in Switzerland.  The reason is that in the US, Daylight Saving Time happened on March 8.  But did not happen on that day in Switzerland.  This meant that for the past three weeks, a US-based filer in (for example) the Mountain Time zone would be able to e-file in the IB as late as 5PM and still get a same-day filing date.  This differed from the usual drop-dead time of 4PM.

Today (March 29, 2020) is the day that Daylight Saving Time happens in Switzerland. Continue reading →

Filing at the International Bureau and Daylight Saving Time

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It’s that time of year again.  The time of year when it is important to keep track of the fact that Daylight Saving Time is different in Switzerland from the way it is in the United States.  This is important because you might be in the US, and you might be e-filing (or fax-filing) some document with the International Bureau of WIPO. Continue reading →

Mexico joins Hague Agreement

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Alert reader and experienced design practitioner Richard Stockton tipped me off that today, the Government of Mexico deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Agreement.  This brings the number of members of the Hague system to 74.  

This accession has been among the most anticipated of Hague accessions in recent years.  I blogged about the imminent accession here (October 21, 2017) and here (December 11, 2017) and here (July 19, 2018) and here (October 2, 2018) and here (October 20, 2018) and here (November 5, 2018).  You can see the WIPO press release here.

Mexico joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty on January 1, 1995 and joined the Madrid Protocol on February 19, 2013.  Thus, with today’s accession Mexico achieves the trifecta of membership in all three international e-filing systems (patents, trademarks, and designs).  The Hague Agreement will enter into force in Mexico on June 6, 2020.

This means that from June 6, 2020, applicants in Mexico will be able to use the Hague system to protect their industrial designs.  Likewise applicants in many dozens of countries around the world will from that date be able to use the Hague system to protect their designs in Mexico.  

Now that Mexico has joined, perhaps the most eagerly awaited accession is that of China.

Today is the day! Israel now belongs to Hague Agreement

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Yes, today is the day that the Hague Agreement enters into force in Israel.  This is an important development for the Hague system, which is the international filing mechanism for protection of industrial designs.

I blogged about this imminent development in Israel back on October 8, 2019.

As of today, companies and designers from Israel can begin using the Hague system to protect their industrial designs.  The applicant can pursue protection in many countries through a single international application and a single set of fees.

Likewise from today, those located outside of Israel will be able to seek design protection in Israel through the Hague system.

The two-letter code is “IL”.

Today is the day for Viet Nam and the Hague Agreement

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It will be recalled that I blogged recently that Viet Nam deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Agreement on September 30, 2019.  Thus today is the day.  The Hague Agreement enters into force for Viet Nam today.

Today Viet Nam achieves the trifecta, with membership in the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Madrid Protocol, and now the Hague Agreement.

The two-letter code for Viet Nam is “VN”.

e-filing at WIPO — back to normal

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For the past week the situation for e-filing at WIPO, for most people in the US, has been that the local time to e-file so as to get a same-day filing date in Switzerland has been different from usual.  (The reason for this is that a week ago, people in Switzerland turned their clocks back.) But as of today, people in the US have turned their clocks back.  So things are back to normal.

For example if you are in the Mountain time zone, once again as of today you will be counting toward 4PM local time to get a same-day filing date in Switzerland.  (For the past week the answer was 5PM.)

Viet Nam joins the Hague Agreement

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Recently I blogged that Samoa joined the Hague Agreement on October 2, 2019 and that Israel joined the Hague Agreement on October 3, 2019.  Somehow I overlooked that just a few days earlier, on September 30, 2019, Viet Nam joined the Hague Agreement.

The Hague system will enter into force for Viet Nam on December 30, 2019.

As of December 30, 2019, companies and designers from Viet Nam can begin using the Hague System to protect their industrial designs. The applicant can pursue protection in many countries through a single international application and a single set of fees.

Likewise from December 30, 2019, those located outside of Viet Nam will be able to seek design protection in Viet Nam through the Hague System.

I had blogged on October 21, 2017 that Viet Nam was getting ready to join the Hague Agreement and indeed now it has happened.

Viet Nam joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty on March 10, 1993 and joined the Madrid Protocol on July 11, 2006.   Viet Nam thus completes the trifecta of membership in all three international intellectual property filing platforms.

The two-letter code for Viet Nam is “VN”.

Samoa joins the Hague Agreement

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On Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Samoa deposited its Instrument of Accession to the Hague Agreement.

The Agreement will enter into force in Samoa on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

This brings to 72 the number of contracting parties to the Hague Agreement.

As of January 2, 2020, companies and designers from Samoa can begin using the Hague System to protect their industrial designs. The applicant can pursue protection in many countries through a single international application and a single set of fees.

Likewise from January 2, 2020, those located outside of Samoa will be able to seek design protection in Samoa through the Hague System.

Samoa will join the Patent Cooperation Treaty on January 2, 2020 and joined the Madrid Protocol on March 4, 2019.   Samoa will thus complete the trifecta of membership in all three international intellectual property filing platforms.

The two-letter code for Samoa is “WS”.