No Extensions of Time for Trademark Oppositions in Zambia
17-Jun-2008
LUSAKA - The Zambian Registrar of Trademarks has announced a change in the procedure regarding applications for extensions of time to oppose trademark applications which have been published as accepted.
The statutory term for filing a notice of opposition is two months from advertisement and for many years the official practice was to grant reasonably liberal extensions to a potential opponent. The custom was thought to be within the powers of the Registrar and to be helpful in permitting negotiations with the applicant and enabling settlement of the grounds and wording of the notice of opposition.
Under the revised policy announced by the Registrar, the two-month term will be strictly enforced and time will not be extended for initial submission of the notice of opposition. Once that is on the file, however, the Registrar will be more ready to grant extensions of time for subsequent stages of the proceedings.