1.1Trademarks Databasesearchingand Generalresearchis Undertaken As Required

TradeMarksProductQualityStandardsasof1May2018

TMDG

TIER1:includes ProductQualityStandards(PQS) that relateto substantive matters whichwouldadverselyaffect(or havethepotentialtoaffect)thevalidityof theIP Right / TIER2:includes ProductQualityStandards(PQS) that relateto matters whichwouldrequireaconsiderableamountof reworkand/or inconvenience totheapplicantor IPAustralia. / TIER3:includes ProductQualityStandards(PQS) that relateto matters whichareimportantinterms of thequalityof theproduct.
PQS 1- Acorrect searchand research strategyisadopted / PQS 2- Allrelevantgroundsforrejectionarecorrectly taken / PQS 3– Allobjectionsaretaken / PQS 4– Reportsarefreeof invalidobjections / PQS 5– Reportsarecomprehensive and informative / PQS 6- Writtenformalitiesarecomplete andcorrect

1.1TradeMarks databasesearchingand generalresearchis undertaken as required

1.1.1TradeMarksdatabasesearchstrategyis appropriate.
1.1.1.1Nolongerused.
1.1.1.2Relevantprecedentand conflictingtrademarksareextracted.
1.1.1.3Searchdocumentsareattachedto file.
1.1.2Researchstrategyis appropriate.
1.1.2.1Researchmaterialand/or resources usedareattachedtofileor identifiedas required. /

2.1Relevantgroundsforrejectingthetrademarkare identified, raisedand maintainedwhenapplicable

GroundsforRejection
2.1.1s39:signsthatarenottobeusedastrademarks.
2.1.2s40:trademarksthatcannotberepresentedgraphically.
2.1.3s41:trademarksnotcapableof distinguishing.
2.1.4s42:trademarksthatarescandalous or contrarytolaw.
2.1.5s43:trademarks likelytocauseconfusion.
2.1.6s44:conflictingtrademarks.
2.1.7s177:certificationtrademarksnotcapableof distinguishing.
2.1.8s187:defensivetrademarks.

2.2Incorrect grounds forrejectionare notidentified, raised ormaintained

GroundsforRejection

2.2.1s39:signsthatarenottobeusedastrademarks.
2.2.2s40:trademarksthatcannotberepresentedgraphically.
2.2.3s41:trademarksnotcapableof distinguishing.
2.2.4s42:trademarksthatarescandalous or contrarytolaw.
2.2.5s43:trademarks likelytocauseconfusion.
2.2.6s44:conflictingtrademarks.
2.2.7s177:certificationtrademarksnotcapableof distinguishing.
2.2.8s187:defensivetrademarks.

2.3Amendments

2.3.3Amendments toovercomegrounds for rejectionareassessed and/orappliedcorrectly.
2.4 Assessment of Evidence
2.4.1 Evidence is assessed correctly. /

3.1Relevantobjectionsrelatingtothe followingissues arecorrectlyidentified, raisedand maintainedwhenapplicable:

3.1.1Goods andservices classification.
3.1.2Divisionalapplications.
3.1.3Conventionapplications.
3.1.4Typeof markbeingclaimed.
3.1.5Ownershipdetails.
3.1.6Address for service.
3.1.7Translations andtransliterations.
3.1.8Series applications.
3.1.9Representationof mark.
3.1.10Descriptionof mark.
3.2Amendments
3.2.1Amendments toovercomerelevant objections (issues listed above) are assessed and/orappliedcorrectly. /

4.1Invalidobjections relatingtothefollowing issuesarenot identified,raisedormaintained:

4.1.1Goods and services classification.
4.1.2Divisionalapplications.
4.1.3Conventionapplications.
4.1.4Typeof markbeingclaimed.
4.1.5Ownershipdetails.
4.1.6Address for service.
4.1.7Translations andtransliterations.
4.1.8Series applications.
4.1.9Representationof mark.
4.1.10Descriptionof mark.
4.2Amendments
4.2.1Amendmentsarenot appliedinrelationto invalidobjections (issues listedabove). / 5.1Reports include sufficient detail
5.1.2Reports provide soundreasoningas to whytheground(s) for rejectionand/or objections preventingacceptanceare appropriate.
5.1.5Reports containcopies of research whereappropriate.
5.1.6Reports containdetails ofany conflictingtrade marks.
5.1.7Reportsgiveanyappropriateoptions withoutinappropriatelydictatinga specificaction.
5.1.9Further reports address alloutstanding issues andacknowledgeand respond appropriatelytoall submissions.
5.1.10Reports areattachedtofile. /

6.1Reportsandwrittenrecordsarepresentedprofessionally

6.1.1Reports andwrittenrecordsarefreefrom frequentor serious spelling,typographicalor grammaticalmistakes.
6.1.2Appropriatewordprocessingcodes areused, and are tailored appropriately.
6.1.3Reports arewritteninplainEnglishand firstperson.
6.1.4Reports are structuredwithappropriateheadings and subheadings.

6.2Completeandcorrectadministrativeactions

6.2.1Examiner’s worksheetis filledoutas required.
6.2.2Database searches andextractlists areannotatedasrequired.
6.2.2.1Searches areidentifiedas viewedas required.
6.2.3The following documents areattachedtofile(notincluding requirements coveredbyTier 1).
6.2.3.1 Database search is attached to file.
6.2.3.2 Research is attached to file.
6.2.4Evidence
6.2.4.1Writtenevidencesummaryis preparedasrequired andattachedtofile.
6.2.4.2Details of anyadditionalresearchor materialusedto assisttheevidenceassessmentis recorded.
6.2.5Allnecessaryendorsements areentered,andarewordedcorrectly.
6.2.6Courtesyletters totheowners ofconflictingtrade marksare attachedto fileas required, and contain correct information.
6.2.7Records of conversations relevanttotheexaminationoutcomeof theapplicationare recordedon file.
6.2.8Emailcorrespondence relevanttotheexaminationoutcomeof the applicationis attachedto file.
6.2.9Owner name searchingisconductedas required.

NOTE: Some Quality Standard attributes are no longer in use in the current version as they have been subsumed into another attribute or attributes. These no longer used attributes are: 1.1.1.1, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 3.2.2, 5.1.1, 5.1.3, 5.1.4, 5.1.8, 6.2.4.3

This documentis controlled.Itsaccuracycanonlybeguaranteedwhenviewedelectronically.EffectiveDate:01May 2018