In another positive step towards complying with International Trademark Standards, the Cambodians Ministry of Commerce has launched an online trademark registration gateway, allowing local and foreign individuals and firms to register their trademarks in Cambodia to protect them against copyright and trademark infringement.
The Online Mark Filing System allows trademark applicants to complete and upload the required documents and information using an internet-connected device to register their trademark and will operate alongside the existing manual registration system.
Applicants can use online payment services from three local banks – Acleda, Canadia and FTB – to pay the trademark registration fees, reducing the opportunity for Government employees to engage in corruptive practices.
The new platform, designed by a technical team from World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), is the first step to accessing the Madrid System, a centralised global registration system that allows applicants to file a single application to register their trademark for protection in multiple jurisdictions.
Trademark registration has increased in Cambodia since its accession to the Madrid System in 2015, with a total of 6,913 trademarks registered in Cambodia in 2016, compared to 6,339 in 2015. There has been 1,884 trademarks registered thus far in Cambodia in 2017.
Contact SMCS RISK for more information on trademark, brand & intellectual property protection in Cambodia.