(400) Change in Practice Regarding Acceptance by
USPTO of Bank Checks for
Fees Payable to the International Bureau
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has amended its
Administrative Instructions concerning Modes of Payment of the fees due to
the International Bureau with respect to international registrations issued
pursuant to the Madrid Agreement Concerning International Registration of
Marks and the Protocol related thereto.
The USPTO practice regarding applications filed on paper was previously
to forward any banker's checks made payable to the International Bureau (IB)
in Swiss francs with the submitted paper documents. As of January 1, 2008,
the IB will no longer accept banker's checks as a mode of payment. Therefore,
the USPTO's Madrid Processing Unit (MPU) will no longer forward banker's
checks submitted in conjunction with documents filed on paper. Any checks
submitted will be returned to the sender by the MPU.
An information notice regarding the acceptable Modes of Payment is posted
on WIPO's website at:
http://www.wipo.int/edocs/madrdocs/en/2007/madrid_2007_20.doc
The revisions of WIPO's Administrative Instructions supersedes the
provisions of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP) 5th edition,
Sections 1902.02(i) and 1903.02, and any other sections to the extent they
are inconsistent with the newly established policies of the International
Bureau.
Questions regarding this notice should be forwarded to Jennifer Chicoski,
Staff Attorney, Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, by e-mail to
Jennifer.chicoski@uspto.gov or by fax to (571) 273-8943.
SHARON R. MARSH
Deputy Commissioner for
Trademark Examination Policy
[1328 TMOG 199]
Top of Notices (400) December 27, 2011