Kosovo's Ministry of Trade and Industry has passed Administrative Instruction No. 01/2012 which creates a legal framework for accelerated examination of trade mark applications in Kosovo.  You can ask for accelerated examination if your trade mark has been infringed and you have already commenced infringement proceedings before the courts.  You can also ask for it if you've applied for Customs watch, since you have to have a registered trade mark before you can benefit from the service.

Together with the request for accelerated examination, an applicant must submit:

• a copy of the trade mark application
• proof that it has instituted proceedings before the courts or filed a Customs watch and
• proof of payment of the official fee.

Once the Kosovo IP Office has received your request it has 15 days in which to respond. If the request is granted, the application will be examined on absolute grounds as a matter of urgency and published in the next issue of the Official Bulletin of the Kosovo IP Office, so that third parties can oppose it.

Since there is a significant backlog in trade mark examinations in Kosovo, the opportunity to request accelerated examination, even in these limited circumstances, is much appreciated.

Sources: Cabinet Pavlovic Eastern Europe; World Trademark Review