CHAPTER IIIGEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

F1Article 19dTransitional provisions: relations between trade marks and geographical indications when bridging arrangements are in effect

(1.

Where a geographical indication is entered on Great Britain’s GIs Register under Article 19c, Articles 19a and 19b and Annex 2A apply for the purposes of determining:

(a)

whether an application to register a trade mark which was pending before IP completion day or was made during the relevant period, must be refused, or

(b)

if a relevant invalidity application was made, whether the registration of a trade mark must be declared invalid,

but subject to the general modifications specified in paragraphs 2 and 3 and any further modifications made by regulations (if any) (see paragraph 4).

(2.

The modifications mentioned in paragraph 1 are that Articles 19a and 19b and Annex 2A are to be read as if:

(a)

in the case of a type A term, any reference to a type 1A geographical indication included a reference to a type A term;

(b)

in the case of a type B term, any reference to a type 1B designation of origin or geographical indication included a reference to a type B term.

(3.

In addition, Article 19b and Annex 2A are to be read as if any reference to Article 19a included a reference to that Article as applied by this Article.

(4.

The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make such further modifications to Article 19a or 19b or Annex 2A as the Secretary of State considers necessary for the purpose of ensuring that the relative priorities afforded to geographical indications and trade marks before IP completion day continue to apply appropriately during the relevant period.

(5.

For the purposes of this Article:

‘relevant invalidity application’ means an application for a declaration of invalidity made under the TMA (as applied by Article 19b(1) and modified by Article 19b(2)) in relation to the registration of a trade mark;

‘type A term’ means a geographical indication which—

  1. (i)

    is, immediately before the application to register a trade mark is accepted, entered in Great Britain’s GIs Register under Article 19c, or

  2. (ii)

    is not so entered when the application to register a trade mark is accepted, but is to be protected under bridging arrangements which come into effect before the application to register a trade mark is accepted;

‘type B term’ means a geographical indication which is not entered in the register under Article 19c when the relevant trade mark application is accepted but must be protected in Great Britain pursuant to bridging arrangements made on or after the day on which the relevant trade mark application is accepted.