The UK Intellectual Property Office has signed an agreement to license OHIM’s new case handling software system, EuroMarc++, which went into operation earlier this year. EuroMarc++ was developed at a cost of around €5m to manage the examination, opposition and registration of Community trade marks. OHIM has granted the UKIPO a royalty-free licence for the software, and a range of other support modules, under an agreement whose terms are designed to promote international cooperation and harmonization of trade mark practices. The UKIPO will be able to further develop the software and the results will be shared with OHIM, and ultimately other IP offices, as part of an international collaboration effort. The Chief Executive of the UKIPO, Ian Fletcher, said the project was “a great example of OHIM and a National Office working together on a harmonization project that will ultimately benefit business users".

Class 46 notes with approval the collaborative ethos of the licensing arrangement, under which licensees share each other's improvements and developments of the initial software.  This blog is also pleased to note that OHIM has not neglected to seek protection of the name EuroMarc, which is registered for goods and services principally relating to software in Classes 9, 16, 38 and 42. Also, excitingly, OHIM has secured registration of the same word in Class 18 for "Leather and imitations of leather, and goods made of these materials and not included in other classes; animal skins, hides; trunks and travelling bags; umbrellas, parasols and walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery".  We look forward to the sale of EuroMarc whips and parasols in the near future from OHIM's Alicante gift shop ...