What
is a trademark?
A trademark
is a distinctive sign which identifies certain goods
or services as those produced or provided by a specific
person or enterprise. Its origin dates back to ancient
times, when craftsmen reproduced their signatures,
or "marks" on their artistic or utilitarian
products. Over the years these marks evolved into
today's system of trademark registration and protection.
The system helps consumers identify and purchase
a product or service because its nature and quality,
indicated by its unique trademark, meets their needs.
What
is a patent?
A patent
is an exclusive right granted for an invention,
which is a product or a process that provides a
new way of doing something, or offers a new technical
solution to a problem.
What
does a patent do?
A patent
provides protection for the invention to the owner
of the patent. The protection is granted for a limited
period, generally 20 years
What
is an industrial design?
An
industrial design is the ornamental or aesthetic
aspect of an article. The design may consist of
three-dimensional features, such as the shape or
surface of an article, or of two-dimensional features,
such as patterns, lines or color.
Industrial designs are applied to a wide variety
of products of industry and handicraft: from technical
and medical instruments to watches, jewelry, and
other luxury items; from housewares and electrical
appliances to vehicles and architectural structures;
from textile designs to leisure goods.
To be protected under most national laws, an industrial
design must appeal to the eye. This means that an
industrial design is primarily of an aesthetic nature,
and does not protect any technical features of the
article to which it is applied.
What
is a geographical indication?
A geographical
indication is a sign used on goods that have a specific
geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation
that are due to that place of origin. Most commonly,
a geographical indication consists of the name of
the place of origin of the goods. Agricultural products
typically have qualities that derive from their
place of production and are influenced by specific
local factors, such as climate and soil. Whether
a sign functions as a geographical indication is
a matter of national law and consumer perception.
Geographical indications may be used for a wide
variety of agricultural products, such as, for example,
"Tuscany" for olive oil produced in a
specific area of Italy (protected, for example,
in Italy by Law No. 169 of February 5, 1992), or
"Roquefort" for cheese produced in France
(protected, for example, in the European Union under
Regulation (EC) No. 2081/92 and in the United States
under US Certification Registration Mark No. 571.798).
