The time limit for a Contracting Party to notify a refusal is generally 12 months. For a period of five years from the date of its registration, an international registration remains dependent on the mark registered or applied for in the Office of origin. Similarly, where the international registration was based on an application in the Office of origin, it will be canceled if, and to the extent that, that application is refused or withdrawn within the five-year period, or if, and to the extent that, the registration resulting from that application ceases to have effect within that period. After the expiry of this period of five years, the international registration becomes independent of the basic registration or basic application. An international registration is subject to renewal every 10 years by payment of the prescribed fees.
International registration has several advantages for the owner of the mark.
After registering the mark, or filing an application for registration, with the Office of origin, he has only to file one application and pay fees to one office and in one language, instead of filing separately in the trademark Offices of the various Contracting Parties in different languages, and paying a separate fee in each Office. Similar advantages exist when the registration has to be renewed or modified. 02.12 International registration is also to the advantage of trademark Offices. For example, they do not need to examine for compliance with formal requirements, or classify the goods or services, or publish the marks. Moreover, part of the fees collected by the International Bureau is transferred to the Contracting Parties in which protection is sought.