Montenegro Update

Under the newly-announced transitional provisions, designs, patents and nationally-filed trademarks (not including International Registrations) already issued to registration in Serbia & Montenegro (or in the former Yugoslavia) will be automatically extended to Montenegro provided that they are still effective as of the inaugural date of the Montenegro Intellectual Property Office, which is expected to be in December of 2007. No formal revalidation will be required in these circumstances, and right holders would simply continue to renew or pay maintenance taxes on their rights in Montenegro in accordance with the existing schedule. The only rights that will need to be revalidated are International Registrations filed under the Madrid Agreement designating Serbia or Yugoslavia and all applications still pending as of inaugural date.