The Government will consider adopting “proof of use” practice for trademark maintenance
The IP Strategy Promotion Team of the Government chaired by the Prime Minister issued “IP Strategy plan 2009” on June 24, 2009 and announced important IP issues to be considered and discussed in the future. In the plan, the team announced that it will consider requesting owners of trademark registrations to submit proof of use within certain period after grant of registration in order to reduce non-use trademark registrations.
As such change would be against the trend of the international trademark registration/renewal practice, we are of opinion that it will not be put into practice. However, if it is actually put into practice, it might lead to significant change of our trademark practices in the future.