Trademark registration in Mongolia. Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia. Monaco has a population of just 3.3 million, making it the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign nation. Economic activity in Mongolia has long been based on herding and agriculture, although the development of extensive mineral deposits of copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold have emerged as a driver of industrial production. Because of a boom in the mining sector, Mongolia had high growth rates at the beginning of the 21st century. In addition, in February 2011, Citigroup analysts determined Mongolia to be one of the “global growth generating” countries, which are countries with the most promising growth prospects for 2010–2050. Accordingly, many businesses want to enter this market and one of the most important preparations a business needs to take before expanding to this country is to learn the procedure of trademark registration in Mongolia.
Signs registrable as a trademark in Mongolia
Signs registrable as a trademark in Mongolia include:
- Any graphic images;
- Conjunctions of figures and words in any combination;
- Sound and color combinations;
- Various slogans;
- Holograms.
The following trademark types are registrable in Mongolia: trademarks, certification marks, and collective marks.
Necessary documents for trademark registration in Mongolia
Necessary documents for trademark registration in Mongolia include:
- Surname, name, address, e-mail, telephone number of the applicant;
- Surname, name, address, e-mail, telephone number of the representative;
- Trademark sample;
- List of goods and services in accordance with the ICGS.
The procedure of trademark registration in Mongolia
To obtain trademark protection in Mongolia, a trademark application has to be filed before the Intellectual Property Office of Mongolia (IPOM).
After receiving the trademark application, the examiner at IPOM will conduct a formal examination, an examination of distinctiveness, and a search for prior trademarks to ensure that the application complies with the regulation of the law.
After registration, the trademark is published in the official gazette “IP information” on the website of the IPOM monthly.
The Law of Mongolia contains no provisions governing opposition against pending applications. However, it is possible to send letters of opposition to the examiner at IPOM. It is up to the examiner whether he takes them into account, as this is an informal procedure. Such letters may be filed at any time before the official registration of the mark.
If there are no errors detected, after payment of the corresponding fee and official approval, the Certificate of registration of the trademark in Mongolia is issued to the applicant.
A trademark in Mongolia has a validity period of 10 years. After 10 years, the trademark owner needs to file for renewal of the trademark to extend the validity period of the trademark for another 10 years.
The request to renew the trademark may be submitted within 12 months before the expiration of a trademark or 6 months after the expiration.
If a successfully registered trademark is not used for 5 consecutive years in Mongolia, it can be vulnerable to cancellation action based on use requirement.
Note:
Normally, the entire process of trademark registration in Mongolia takes about 5-8 months from first filing to registration. If required, the processing time can be extended for up to another 6 months.
Foreign applicants need an authorized representative for trademark registration in Mongolia.
Mongolia is a member of the Madrid Protocol. Accordingly, the applicant can file for trademark protection through the Madrid System to obtain trademark protection in Mongolia.
You can see a list of Mongolia IP firms here.