Further to yesterday's post on the European Parliament's approval of the new trade mark package for pan-EU and national marks, Class 46 thought it might be a good idea to say a bit about the timeline. The good news is that the new legislative regime isn't going to creep into force while you are enjoying your end-of-year break.

The new Regulation will enter into force 90 days after its publication in the EU's Official Journal, which gives you virtually three months in which to read it carefully, decide whether life is still worth living. give a sigh and get on with the serious business of deciding how much it's going to change your daily routine.

The Directive is rather more sudden, in that it will enter into force just 20 days after publication -- but the EU's 28 Member States will then have three years in which to transpose it into their national laws. There's an even longer period within which to sort out the Directive's administrative invalidation and revocation procedures, this being a full seven years.

Further information about the reforms can be read iin the MARQUES guide here.