Cabinet nod for joining Nice, Vienna, Locarno Agreements

In a move to boost foreign investor confidence in relation to protection of intellectual property (IP) in India, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements, which will allow India an opportunity to include Indian designs, figurative elements and goods in the international classification systems.

An official statement said the proposals approved are for India's accession to The Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of registration of marks; The Vienna Agreement establishing an International Classification of the figurative elements of marks; and The Locarno Agreement establishing an international classification for industrial designs.

These agreements will help the Intellectual Property Office in India to harmonise the classification systems for examination of trademark and design applications, in line with the classification systems followed globally.

The accession would also facilitate in exercising rights in decision-making processes regarding review and revision of the classifications under the agreement.

--IANS

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