The Ministry of Commerce has suspended in-person requirements for trademark registration and other related procedures, and opened up an online portal tentatively available until April 28.
A team of officials will be available to provide support to all legal representatives of trademark owners and applicants in need of services during the lockdown period in Phnom Penh and Kandal province’s Takhmao town, the ministry said in an April 21 announcement.
It invited those who have opened a trademark management account with the Secretariat of National Committee for Intellectual Property to apply online at efiling.cambodiaip.gov.kh for brand registration.
Public service fees related to trademark registration must be paid through Canadia Bank Plc, Acleda Bank Plc or Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia (FTB) to the Department of Intellectual Property’s account number 1518, the ministry added.
Ministry spokesman Pen Sovicheat told The Post last week that trademark registration offers protection for appellations of origin linked to specific geographical locations and associated qualities, reputations and characteristics, especially those designated as Geographical Indications (GI).
"GI trademark registration is an important tool to encourage the community to produce high-quality GI products by strengthening and expanding production chains, improving systematic quality control, and leading to more exports abroad," he said.
Local and international companies registered 7,997 trademarks with the Ministry of Commerce 2020, up 30 per cent over the previous year, the ministry reported.
Of these, 5,628 were registered via the national system, an increase of 32 per cent over 2019, and 2,669 were filed through the Madrid Protocol, surging by 25 per cent.
