The UAE has issued a decree to abolish the 1972 boycott law against Israeli goods. The normalisation deal with Israel promises more investments and bilateral cooperation between the two powers in the Middle East. More importantly, speculations are strife that more Arab nations would follow suit. The potential inflow of potential foreign investments means there would be an increased requirement for securing Intellectual Property (IP) Rights in Israel and entrepreneur will opt for trademark registration in Israel.
Brands that are planning to establish a lucrative presence there need to have a firm hold over the laws and procedures regarding trademark registration in Israel. Trademark agents in Israel here give provides a breakdown of the entire procedure of registration for the benefit of potential brand owners seeking to invest in the ‘land of milk and honey.’
Trademarks Eligible for Registration in Israel
The applications for trademark registration in Israel should be filed at the Patents, Designs and Trademarks Authority, which operates under the Ministry of Justice. To be accepted by the Authority, the trademarks should possess certain predefined characteristics such as distinctiveness. The marks should be able to help distinguish the goods or services of one brand owner from the goods and services of another.
The laws of trademark registration in Israel allow the applicants to secure protection for wordmarks and graphic marks as well. Israel allows the registration of 3 Dimensional marks if the shape of the trademark is useful in indicating the source of the mark rather than being merely functional.
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Steps to Follow to Register a Trademark in Israel
1. Trademark Search
Beginning the process of trademark registration by conducting a proper trademark search in Israel would save the applicants from running into the risk of facing opposition at a later stage. The applicants should search the trademark registry whether their potential trademarks are already owned by other parties or whether a third-party has applied for registering a similar or identical mark. The process of a trademark search is an exhausting task and the applicants can hire the best trademark agents in Israel to execute the job flawlessly.
2. Trademark Filing
The applicants should file the trademark application in the prescribed form to the Patent and Trademarks Authority. Due care should be exerted to include the details of the applicant as well as the specimens of the mark along with the application. The goods and services eligible for application under the NICE classification should also be mentioned. The applicants should note that Israel allows multi-class filings.
3. Trademark Registration As Per Paris Treaty
Israel is a member of the Paris Treaty and therefore the brand owners can benefit from the laws and pacts that govern the treaty. For instance, an applicant registers his trademark in a member state and registers the same trademark within six months in Israel. Opposition to the mark arises in Israel from a third party, but the date on which he made the registration in the member state will get priority while considering the two applications.
4. International Registration Under Madrid Protocol
Since Israel is a party to the Madrid Protocol, the brand owners can file international trademark applications via the Israel Trademark office. Israel accepts international trademark applications as well but the opposition or rejection should be negotiated at the Israel trademark office.
5. Trademark Examination
After filing the application, the examiner at the trademark office will review the trademark application to ensure it is complying with the Israel Trademark Law. On the basis of the examination, the mark can be either rejected or accepted. A common ground for trademark rejection is the confusing similarity with an already registered mark.
6. Publication in Trademark Journal
If accepted for registration by the Registrar, the mark is then published in the official Trademarks Journal, which appears online. Any member of the public may file an opposition to the application within 90 days of the publication. If an opposition is filed, an adversarial proceeding is conducted before the registrar, who issues his ruling. The ruling may be appealed.
7. Term and Validity
As per the Israel Trademark Law, a trademark registration remain valid for ten years from the date of application. The applicants can perform the renewal of trademark registration in Israel for a further ten year period for each renewal.
Trademark Agents in Israel | Jitendra Intellectual Property
Israel has implemented strong laws to protect the Intellectual Property rights of brand owners. The new deal with the UAE is likely to open up new business opportunities and hence the importance of trademark protection gains new traction in Israel. Protecting the brands, logos, designs, etc through the trademark registration in Israel becomes critical when the new investments begin. In such a scenario, the brand owners need the assistance of a reputed Intellectual Property firm in Israel like Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP).
JIP is a full-service Intellectual Property service firm in Israel with years of experience in assisting the companies registering the brands. JIP has a team of highly qualified trademark agents who have assisted thousands of clients in registering their trademarks in Israel, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, etc. JIP’s services related to the trademark in Israel include trademark search, trademark registration, trademark renewal, etc. By hiring the trademark services of JIP, the brand owners can secure their Intellectual Property assets across Israel.
Trademarks that Face Risk of Rejection
A brand owner cannot apply for a trademark that implies a connection to the state. In the same vein, a mark that is found to be immoral in nature would also be rejected as per the Israel trademark law. Trademarks that are merely generic in nature also face the risk of rejection in Israel. If the brand owner is applying to register a descriptive mark, then proof for secondary meaning should be submitted. Lack of knowledge about the trademark law could lead to disqualification of the application but the service of reputed trademark agents in Israel averts this risk.