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Trade Marks Journal No. 013/2012
Page No. xlix
The eighth edition of the NICE Classification shall still apply to all applications filed before 1
January 2007. Applications filed on or after 1 January 2007 shall be filed in accordance
with the ninth edition of the NICE Classification. For the avoidance of doubt, there will be
no reclassification of goods and services for existing applications filed prior to 1 January
2007, after the 9th Edition of the NICE Classification comes into force.
2007 Circular
Use of registered trade marks in specifications of goods and services (Circular No.
38/2007, dated 14 November 2007)
Registered trade marks which are ordinary dictionary words are allowed to be used in
specifications of goods and services as a descriptor. This practice is consistent with our
previous journal notice on the use of the term, “Internet”, which has become generic.
However, words which are invented and have been registered as trade marks will not be
acceptable in specifications of goods and services. Instead, applicants should use ordinary
English words to describe their goods and services. For example, a specification of goods
which reads "bluetooth-enabled devices for communications, namely telephones, handsets,
headsets, speakers, microphones and earphones” should be amended to “devices for
communications which are enabled by short range radio technology, namely telephones,
handsets, headsets, speakers, microphones and earphones”.
2011 Circulars
The use of punctuation in specifications (Circular No. 2/2011, dated 9 September 2011)
Applicants are advised to take note of the following guidelines when using punctuation
within a specification:
1. Use semicolons (;) to delimit the goods and services as segments within a class;
2. Use commas (,) within the same segment only if the goods or services claimed are
related to each other;
3. Avoid the use of colons (:).
To illustrate, if a trade mark is used on computers, computer software, mouse pads,
eyeglasses and goggles for sports, all of which are classified in Class 9, the list of goods
should be indicated as "computers, computer software, mousepads; eyeglasses, goggles
for sports". In the example given, the related goods are separated by commas while
unrelated goods are separated by a semi-colon.
If, for example, a trade mark is used on pharmaceutical preparations, plasters, materials for
dressings and disinfectants, the list of goods should be indicated as "Pharmaceutical
preparations; plasters, materials for dressings; disinfectants". As both "plasters" and
"materials for dressings" are used for wound dressing purposes, they may be separated by
a comma instead of a semi-colon.
This practice applies to both International Applications as well as national applications.