Trinidad and Tobago joins the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks

The Intellectual Property Office of Trinidad and Tobago formally acceded to the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (STLT) as of October 4, 2019. The Treaty will officially enter into force as of January 4, 2019. Trinidad and Tobago is the third country to accede to the Treaty in 2019 following Canada and Finland, where the Treaty entered into force on June 17, 2019 and August 7, 2019, respectively.

The Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks is a vital tool that builds upon the Trademark Law Treaty of 1994. Initially concluded in 2006 and entered into force in 2009, the STLT harmonises the filing process of national and regional trademark applications for all members to the Treaty, thus, simplifying the process. With a range of benefits, the Treaty has gained global popularity, originating with 11 countries on board and entering into 2020 with 50 contracting parties.

The Treaty also affords contracting parties the benefit of lower trademark fees as well as relief measures in respect of time limits. Additionally, nontraditional trademark filings are accepted through the Treaty, inclusive of three-dimensional, hologram, motion, color, and position marks, as well as non-visible signs such as sound and scent marks. Furthermore, the signatories are obliged to allow for multiclass filings, the move made by Canada in June 2019.

It is hoped that the accession to the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks will encourage further trademark registrations in Trinidad and Tobago, contributing to the modernisation and further cooperation of the country in the field of intellectual property.