With the new year, the Trademark Office has introduced some administrative updates that should improve efficiency.
From 4 January 2016, trademark application forms (Form IV) are being scanned at the time of filing, and uploaded to IPAS - the Trademark Office’s internal database. Eventually documents may be made publicly accessible online, as is the case with many foreign IP offices. This represents an improvement in access to information - one of the biggest challenges in legal practice in Indonesia. It also represents a step forward in improving compliance and accountability, making it difficult to change filing details.
The IP Office filing counters have also been reorganised. Now, we have:
- counters 1 to 4 attending to trademark prosecution;
- counter 5 attending to industrial design prosecution;
- counters 6 and 7 attending to patent prosecution;
- counter 8 attending to copyright prosecution;
- counter 9 attending to patent annuities and
- counter 10 is reserved for backup.
(IP Office filing counters)