RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/44
8November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4749)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONTRADEMARKS, GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
Questions posed byAustralia
Bymeans ofacommunication from thePermanent Mission ofAustralia totheWTO, dated
5November 1996, theSecretariat hasreceived questions thatAustralia hadcommunicated totheUnited
States, theEuropean Community andJapan concerning thereview ofnational implementing legislation
intheareas oftrademarks, geographical indications andindustrial designs.IP/C/W/44
Page2
UNITED STATES
1. Please explain howyourlawsatisfies therequirements ofArticle 22oftheTRIPS Agreement
inrespect ofgeographical indications.
2. Please describe anyprovisions inyourlawwhich address therequirements ofArticle 23of
theTRIPS Agreement.
3. Please explain howyourlegislation dealswiththeissueofpre-existing trademark rights vis-à-vis
theprotection ofgeographical indications. Arethere anyinstances ofpermitted dualuseofthesame
matter asatrademark andasageographical indication? Please provide details ofanysuchinstances.
4. DoyouprotecttextiledesignsasrequiredunderArticle25oftheTRIPSAgreementbyindustrial
design law,copyright law,suigeneris legislation oracombination ofthese?
5. Ifitisarequirement ofyourtrademark lawthatasignbe"visually perceptive", howisthis
requirement applied?
6. Ifyourtrademark legislation permits theregistration ofsounds andsmells, howaresuchsigns
received intheTrade Marks Office andentered intheTrade Marks Register?
7. Howdoesyourlegislation meettherequirements ofArticle 6bisoftheParis Convention, as
expressed inArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement, concerning well-known trademarks? What criteria
areapplied indetermining whatconstitutes awell-known trademark?
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
1. Please explain howyourlawsatisfies therequirements ofArticle 22oftheTRIPS Agreement
inrespect ofgeographical indications.
2. Please describe anyprovisions inyourlawwhich address therequirements ofArticle 23of
theTRIPS Agreement.
3. Please explain howyourlegislation dealswiththeissueofpre-existing trademark rights vis-à-vis
theprotection ofgeographical indications. Arethere anyinstances ofpermitted dualuseofthesame
matter asatrademark andasageographical indication? Please provide details ofanysuchinstances.
4. DoyouprotecttextiledesignsasrequiredunderArticle25oftheTRIPSAgreementbyindustrial
design law,copyright law,suigeneris legislation oracombination ofthese?
5. Ifitisarequirement ofyourtrademark lawthatasignbe"visually perceptive", howisthis
requirement applied?
6. Ifyourtrademark legislation permits theregistration ofsounds andsmells, howaresuchsigns
received intheTrade Marks Office andentered intheTrade Marks Register?
7. Howdoesyourlegislation meettherequirements ofArticle 6bisoftheParis Convention, as
expressed inArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement, concerning well-known trademarks. What criteria
areapplied indetermining whatconstitutes awell-known trademark?IP/C/W/44
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JAPAN
1. DoyouprotecttextiledesignsasrequiredunderArticle25oftheTRIPSAgreementbyindustrial
design law,copyright law,suigeneris legislation oracombination ofthese?
2. Ifitisarequirement ofyourtrademark lawthatasignbe"visually perceptive", howisthis
requirement applied?
3. Ifyourtrademark legislation permits theregistration ofsounds andsmells, howaresuchsigns
received intheTrade Marks Office andentered intheTrade Marks Register?
4. Howdoesyourlegislation meettherequirements ofArticle 6bisoftheParis Convention, as
expressed inArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement, concerning well-known trademarks? What criteria
areapplied indetermining whatconstitutes awell-known trademark?