Trademark Law Treaty (TLT) | Practical Law

Trademark Law Treaty (TLT) | Practical Law

Trademark Law Treaty (TLT)

Trademark Law Treaty (TLT)

Practical Law Glossary Item 9-505-8133 (Approx. 3 pages)

Glossary

Trademark Law Treaty (TLT)

A treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that simplifies and harmonizes certain trademark application and registration procedures in the member countries. Among other things, the TLT:
  • Defines and limits the requirements that a member country may impose as a basis for receiving a trademark application.
  • Harmonizes the duration of the initial trademark registration term and subsequent renewal terms at ten years each, and identifies conditions that each member country can require for renewal.
  • Simplifies the recording of name and ownership changes for trademark applications and registrations.
  • Prohibits member countries from requiring attestation, authentication, legalization, or certification of document signatures, except in connection with surrender of a registration.
  • Requires member countries to register service marks in the same manner as trademarks.
The TLT became effective in the US in 1999 through an amendment of the Lanham Act by the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act of 1998. Over 50 countries are parties to the TLT, including the US and the EU (contracting as an intergovernmental organization). Canada and most Latin American countries are not members. Additional information, including the full text of the TLT, is available on the WIPO website.