The Myanmar Government announced that the soft opening period of the Myanmar Department of Intellectual Property (MDIP) under its new trademark law will begin on October 1, 2020. Under the soft opening period, all existing holders of trademark registrations in Myanmar viz. those registered with the Office of Registration of Deeds (ORD) will be required to re-file their marks under the new law in order to retain their protection under the new system.

The Central Government has amended the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules. Some of the amendments of primary significance are:

1. The rules now permit for an application for registration as an authorized user to be made solely by a person claiming to be the producer of the registered GI (as opposed to a joint application to be made by the producer and the registrant of the GI).
2. The Registrar shall register the authorized user after completion of the advertisement period or dismissal of the opposition (whichever is applicable). The requirement of filing an application under Form GI-3 by an applicant for entry in the register as an authorized user and issuance of the registration certificate has been done away with.
3. The Official Fee for application for registration of an authorized user has reduced to INR 10 (from INR 500).
4. The Official Fee for renewal of registration of an authorized user has reduced to INR 10 (from INR 1000).

The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) (Amendment) Rules, 2020 can be accessed at – http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/221348.pdf

The Trade Marks Registry has notified that it intends to conduct show-cause hearings through video conferencing mode. The parties who are interested in having hearings scheduled in their matters through video conferencing are required to send their consent (via e-mail) by September 5, 2020.

The notification can be accessed at – http://www.ipindia.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/News/707_1_Public_Notice_TLA.pdf.

The Indian Patent Office has enabled a patent application query module on its website. This enables users to seek clarifications to any queries with respect to patent applications. The module can be accessed at – https://ipindiaservices.gov.in/Query

The High Court of Delhi has notified that September 1, 2020 onwards non-urgent/ordinary matters will be listed for physical hearings. The Court has, however, placed a restriction of 3-5 cases to be listed for hearing before each Roster Bench.

The notification can be accessed at – http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/writereaddata/Upload/PublicNotices/PublicNotice_SBJS2BIET98.PDF