The applications for patent and trademark rights increased last year.

The Intellectual Property Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that many kinds of the applications for patent and trademark rights increased in 2003. The main reason for such increase must be that the applicants hold optimistic attitude toward the future prosperity and therefore they are willing to advance their research and development ability.

1. Applications for patent right (Table 1 for details)

The applications for new patent and trademark right in 2003 totaled 65,512 cases. Compared with the applications totaling 61,402 cases in 2002, 4,214 applications increased in 2003 by an increase range of 6.69%. In the applications for patent right, the applications of good technology and high-leveled inventions substantially increased 13.03%, which indicated that the factories in this country have made an obvious progress in their research and development ability. The certificates issued to the applications for patent right in 2003 totaled 53,033 cases. That is, 7,991 cases increased if compared with the applications in 2002 totaling 45,042 cases, an increase range of 17.74%. 

2. Applications for trademark right (Table 2 for details)

The applications for trademark right in 2003 totaled 65,943 cases if compared with the applications totaling 61,729 cases in 2002, that is, an increase range of 6.83%. The applications for registration renewal totaled 21,996 cases in 2003. If compared with 17,896 cases in 2002, an increase range of 22.91% was indicated. The certificates issued to trademark applications totaled 54,335 cases. Compared with the certificates issued to the applications totaling 64,039 in 2002, 9,697 cases decreased, a decrease range of 15.14%. This is because the amended Trademark Law was put into effect on November 28, 2003. Subject to the said amended Trademark Law, all the applications were registered by being directly announced; accordingly, there were no such permitted applications since then. Nevertheless, the applications for registration totaled 74,572 cases. Compared with the cases totaling 70,842 in 2002, an increase range of 5.27% was indicated. (2004.02)

CYJ/WYL

Table 1 Applications for Patent Right Registration

Table 2 Applications for Trademark Right Registration